News Broadcasting
India’s first Bengali news channel in the offing from MCCS’ kitty
MUMBAI: Media Content and Communications Services India Pvt. Ltd. (MCCS), a joint venture between ABP TV and the Star Group, today announced its plans to launch a 24-hour Bengali news channel.
MCCS at present broadcasts Star News. The new Bengali channel will be headquartered in Kolkata with an extensive bureau network across the rest of West Bengal and India.
An official release informed that with the Eastern region of India witnessing resurgence and gaining importance with many large organisations from various sectors like IT, retail, manufacturing, services etc., the launch of a specialised news channel of this nature is a natural requirement for the region.
Equipped with a strong technical and editorial team, with Suman Chattopadhyay as executive producer, the channel will cover local, national and international news in Bengali.
Commenting on the occasion, Star News CEO Uday Shankar said, “The main rationale behind the news channel is to reach out to the fast growing population of news consuming Bengalis. In emerging markets that are culturally rooted like Kolkata, there is a need for a dedicated channel that can offer high quality news coverage along with views and analysis in the regional language.”
“ABP is the oldest and most respected journalistic brand in the East of India. It has played a significant role in the development of West Bengal and has been at the forefront in providing relevant news and information to the people of Bengal. In keeping pace with the times, we need to strengthen our bond with the audience through the electronic mediums of communication and journalism,” said ABP managing director Aniruddha Lahiri.
On the other hand, Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea commented, “Within a short span of 18 months Star News in Hindi has become a valuable news source in India and across important global NRI markets that is relevant to India today. The launch of this regional language channel expands our portfolio of news services. I am sure it will drive the growth of regional language TV further propelling the penetration of television in the country.”
The program offerings for the Bengali news channel will cater to the distinctive needs of the regional audiences while incorporating formats that will find appeal with the Bengali Diaspora. The channel will connect with its viewers by providing news across genres including political, business, culture, crime, entertainment and social events, on a local, national and international level, in real-time basis.
News Broadcasting
News18 India to air Sabse Bada Dangal on 4 May counting day
Channel promises fastest results, live trends and analysis across five states.
MUMBAI: Ballots will do the talking and screens will do the shouting. As counting day approaches for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, News18 India is gearing up for an all-day broadcast of its flagship election show, Sabse Bada Dangal, on 4 May from 6 am onwards. The Hindi news channel plans to deliver continuous, real-time updates as votes are tallied, combining live counting data with on-ground reporting and studio analysis. With political fortunes set to shift through the day, the coverage will track every swing, surge and surprise as trends turn into results.
The broadcast will feature a mix of senior political leaders, analysts and experts, offering instant reactions and decoding the evolving electoral picture. Expect heated debates, quick takes and detailed breakdowns as the numbers settle across all five states.
For News18 India, counting day has long been a high-visibility moment. The network is banking on its reporting reach, editorial bandwidth and technology-driven coverage to stay ahead in what is often a fiercely competitive news cycle.
With multiple battlegrounds and shifting narratives, the day promises both drama and data in equal measure. And if all goes to plan, Sabse Bada Dangal will once again turn the counting of votes into prime-time spectacle.
