News Broadcasting
Murdoch’s Foxtel Digital to make Oz launch on 14 March
MUMBAI: Foxtel’s new digital service will officially launch on 14 March in Australia.
Without going in for a new TV, the new service’s subscribers will be able to get the necessary in-home receiving technology which will include a new digital set-top-unit and remote control as part of the service. Foxtel Digital will deliver cable and satellite subscribers enhanced viewing through a range of more than 130 channels, interactive services and expanded viewing options, all with DVD quality pictures and CD quality sound.
The package will cost $48.95, the same price as the existing satellite basic service, and will feature 66 channels including access to Sports Active on Fox Sports and Fox Footy Channels, Sky News Actives eight-screen interactive news service, the Foxtel Digital Guide and 30 audio channels.
The service package includes ten movie services (including Foxtel Box Office), 27 Foxtel Box Office channels, eight sports channels (including the Main Event channel featuring pay-perview boxing, wrestling and special events), five kids channels, seven news channels, six music video channels and 30 audio music channels, eleven documentary channels, eight lifestyle channels, 14 general entertainment channels, three adult services including pay-per-view channels, two foreign language channels with more to follow very soon, two games channels (with 10 separate and regularly changing games) and one Digital Help Channel and one Foxtel Box Office pre-view channel.
Also new to the service 30 digital-quality stereo audio channels that cater to all music tastes and signature channels such as Caf, Rock, Groove, Dance, Blues, Home Grown, Todays Country, Soul, New Wave and Easy. It will also feature ten TimeShift channels that have been selected based on their popularity with subscribers. TimeShifts broadcast a single service on two different channels with a two-hour time difference doubling subscribers viewing choices and providing further opportunities to view favourite programmes.
The key features of the new service include an electronic programme guide that allows subscribers to intuitively and easily navigate and plan viewing through Foxtel Digitals expanded range of choice, a 24-hour-day near-video-on-demand service screening a range of blockbuster movie titles each starting every 15-30 minutes, an interactive service allowing viewers to control and choose the news they want to view from eight live video and five live text screens, an interactive sports application which enables viewers to select multiple camera angles and match replays together with game statistics, player profiles and even different audio feeds on special selected sports broadcasts, Foxtel Gamesworld, offering subscribers two games channels and 10 different games with easy to play titles and games that test the mind.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 rolls out Battle for the States ahead of key polls
Multi-format election coverage tracks voter mood across five battleground states
NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has launched a special election programming initiative titled Battle for the States, as India gears up for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Built around the theme ‘Road to Power’, the multi-format coverage aims to follow the entire electoral journey, from campaigning and polling to results and government formation. The network is leaning into on-ground reportage and data-backed storytelling to decode voter sentiment across regions where local issues often shape the narrative.
The programming line-up includes ‘Vote Tracker’, a three-part series developed in collaboration with survey agency Vote Vibe. The show blends survey insights with expert commentary and field reporting, using augmented reality graphics to present complex electoral data such as vote share, seat projections and leadership preferences in a more accessible format. It will air every Monday evening until April 6.
Adding a cultural lens to political reporting is ‘So Saree!’, a ground-driven segment where women anchors travel across constituencies dressed in traditional handwoven sarees from each state. The format uses attire as a storytelling device, highlighting regional identity while capturing grassroots voices.
Meanwhile, ‘Unfiltered Kaapi’ and ‘Chai-Niti’ bring a more conversational tone, drawing inspiration from everyday political discussions in tea stalls and coffee corners. These segments aim to break down key issues through candid, fast-paced exchanges between anchors and reporters, tailored to regional sensibilities.
For viewers seeking deeper insights, the weekend docuseries ‘Reporters Project’ takes a longer view, with correspondents travelling across constituencies to map voter concerns and political shifts on the ground.
“Elections are about people, their aspirations, identities and the issues that matter to them, and every state tells a different story,” said CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar. He added that the initiative focuses on understanding “the sentiment on the ground and what’s driving voter choices”.
Echoing the emphasis on credibility, Network18 CEO – English and business news Smriti Mehra said the network aims to combine on-ground reporting with data-led insights to deliver clear and timely coverage as the elections unfold.
With a mix of data, culture and grassroots reporting, CNN-News18 is positioning Battle for the States as a comprehensive window into one of India’s most closely watched electoral cycles, where every vote carries a story waiting to be told.
