News Broadcasting
Headlines Today becomes India Today; group to pump 10% of budget in marketing
NEW DELHI: Emphasising that the launch of the ‘India Today’ news channel was being treated as a fresh channel launch and not a re-branding of Headlines Today, spokespersons from the channel said that it sports a completely new look as compared to any other news channel in the country.
Speaking about the key reason for changing the brand name of the channel, India Today group CEO Ashish Bagga told Indiantelevision.com that research had shown that the brand recall value of India Today was much higher than that of Headlines Today and therefore it was being promoted as a new news channel.
The channel will also be promoted through television commercials, newspaper and web advertisements and outdoor publicity. In addition, the channel will also be eyeing media partnerships with events like the Indian International Film Academy (IIFA) Awards or premieres of important films.
Bagga informed that approximately five to ten per cent of the channel’s total budget would be spent on marketing it.
He considered this the biggest initiative by the India Today Group in the last forty years.
Bagga also said that the channel was not visible on all DTH platforms including Doordarshan’s FreeDish.
With 40 niche magazines in its kitty, the group had already connected with viewers and readers all over the country.
When asked if a research had been conducted before the channel’s launch, he said research was conducted on two levels. On a qualitative level, the aim had been to gauge what people were seeing and what they wanted in news channels. Secondly, an Eye-7 test had been conducted whereby special kind of glasses were worn to gauge eye movements and also check if the viewer had any problem in seeing a channel, which carries more than one box of written matter apart from the visuals.
Talking about the channel’s branding and content, India Today Group synergy and creative officer Kalli Purie said that the new channel had a lot more depth.
Purie said that the India Today magazine had set a standard that other print publications were attempting to emulate, and the aim was to bring the same standard to television news reporting.
The new look of the channel not only has a headline at the top and bottom of the screen, but also on the left of the news presenter, which is in the form of a box making it legible even from a distance. She denied that this would be make the screen look cluttered and said it had been tested amongst viewers who had liked the format.
Speaking on whether there would be any changes in content, Purie said that the Group had around forty print magazines and the experience would be used for formatting shows on niche programmes on automobiles, luxury items, celebs, and so on.
Unlike most channels, the content presentation on the India Today news channel would not follow a linear pattern but would be multi-layered.
When queried on the involvement of senior journalists like Rajdeep Sardesai and Karan Thapar, Purie said that they were already established and credible names in the news world, who didn’t believe in beating around the bush but in getting the real news out.
“Their contribution will be immense in formatting various programmes,” she added.
She also confirmed that the show On The Couch with Koel would continue on the channel.
While Bagga refrained to comment on the ad cap matter as it was in court, he opined that the group did not agree with the government on cross-media investments.
“No single group dominates in media fragmentation,” he said.
At the same time, he said that the group had no intention to enter FM Phase III for more radio channels.
Referring to Music Today, he said that the aim had been to bring out recordings of non-film music. “While all music is now available on digital platforms, we have no intention of entering that sphere,” he added.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
