News Broadcasting
Need immediate resumption of viewership ratings: NBF to Anurag Thakur
Mumbai: Governing board members and senior member broadcasters of News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) met with the minister of information and broadcasting, Anurag Thakur, on Tuesday.
During the meeting, members of NBF highlighted the need for the immediate resumption of viewership ratings for the news genre. The ratings “have been unilaterally paused and have severely impacted the sustainability of news channels”, they said.
The new broadcast body apprised the I&B minister of key issues facing the news industry, recent growth and trends in the broadcasting sector, and challenges faced by news broadcasters in recent times.
“It was a pleasure to meet and exchange views with the NBF governing board led by Arnab Goswami,” said Anurag Thakur. “It was a productive exchange of views and I look forward to engaging with the NBF on issues regarding news broadcasting and the role of news broadcasting in strengthening our democracy,” he added.
The NBF governing board informed the minister about key initiatives undertaken by the body to provide greater representation to channels broadcasting in various languages and on further steps to strengthen regulation among member channels.
The NBF delegation included Republic Media Network, editor-in-chief, Arnab Goswami; TV9 News Network, CEO, Barun Das; Prag News, founder/MD, Sanjive Narain; Pride East Entertainment, chairperson/MD, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma; ITV Network founder/promoter, Kartikeya Sharma; Fourth Dimension, CEO, Shankar Bala; TV9 Bharatvarsh, news director, Hemant Sharma; News Nation, editor-in-chief, Manoj Gairola; MHOne, chairperson, Mahendra Bhatla; Newsfirst Kannada, business head, Divaakar S; NBF and Eshita, secretary-general, and associate for policy and regulations of NBF, R Jai Krishna.
“The meeting of NBF members with the Minister was a wonderful opportunity to apprise him about the steps we have taken to build India’s largest federation of news broadcasters,” said NBF president Arnab Goswami. “The Minister has heard our views and concerns in detail and we look forward to working with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to make the news broadcasting sector even stronger.”
Shankar Bala called the meeting “path-breaking” and said, “We have particularly stated that it is essential to release the viewership ratings for news channels, which were unilaterally stopped. The resumption of the publication of news ratings will ensure fair play and measurement-driven competitive news industry.”
“The highly competitive news TV genre certainly needs a level-playing field for new promising players both in the national arena and regional markets. We felt extremely assured after our meeting today,” said Barun Das.
“As a team, NBF put forth the problems we tend to face and the ways in which we want to raise and address our concerns. At least, we can go forward and help regional industries survive, like ours. The minister gave us a patient hearing and we are very grateful to the Ministry. We are now looking forward to the future and ways as to how we can progress together,” said Riniki Bhuyan Sarma.
“The minister heard out all the matters raised by various members of the NBF. I would like to thank the minister for hearing the viewpoints of all news channels from across India and from regional channels as well,” said Kartikeya Sharma.
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
