News Broadcasting
IBF puts up united front, denies split in offing
MUMBAI: The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), which has been riven recently by persistent reports of major rifts between pay and free-to-air lobbies within it, sought today to put up a united front.
An IBF statement issued in Delhi says: “There have been misleading reports in some sections of the Press that the Indian Broadcasting Foundation is headed for a split on the issue of Conditional Access System.”
“This is to clarify that all IBF members are united on all issues including CAS. The IBF is affectively working under the dynamic leadership of KS Sarma, CEO, Prasar Bharati, and there is no question of division in the Foundation.”
Speaking earlier to indiantelevision.com from different sides of the fence, both Kunal Dasgupta, SET India CEO and IBF vice-president, and Markand Adhikari, SAB TV vice-chairman and MD, struck a common tone on the matter. They asserted there would not be any split in the IBF and talks of separate bodies / associations representing pay and FTA channels were untrue. They maintained that while there may be differences due to competing business interests, a split was not in the offing.
News Broadcasting
India Today Group debuts AI anchor ‘Sutra’ at AI Impact Summit 2026
Sutra aims to simplify live policy debates using sovereign AI models
NEW DELHI: India Today Group has unveiled Sutra, an AI-driven news anchor designed to deliver real-time, contextual reporting, marking the group’s latest push to integrate artificial intelligence into mainstream journalism.
The AI anchor was introduced at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi and developed in collaboration with BharatGen, with the initiative showcased by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
India Today Group said Sutra is built to navigate complex policy discussions and fast-moving developments by synthesising information into concise, accessible insights, aimed at narrowing the gap between high-level debates and public understanding. The AI anchor was used to surface live takeaways from key sessions at the summit.
India Today Group chief AI officer Nilanjan Das, said the project was focused on clarity and accessibility without diluting editorial rigour. He added that working with BharatGen aligned the group’s AI ambitions with India’s broader push towards sovereign technology capabilities.
BharatGen CEO Rishi Bal, said the partnership reflected a shift from basic automation towards deeper contextual intelligence in media. He emphasised the importance of indigenous, multimodal AI models capable of understanding Indian languages, regional dialects and cultural nuance, particularly as AI-driven news formats gain traction.
The launch positions India Today Group among the first major Indian media houses to deploy an AI anchor backed by home-grown technology, underscoring a growing convergence between journalism, public policy and sovereign AI infrastructure.
