News Broadcasting
New Kid on the Hindi news block: Jia News
MUMBAI: Starting 5 October, 7:00 am onward, the Hindi news space will see one more channel going live.
Named Jia News, after channel chairman Rohan Jagdale’s daughter, the channel, whose slogan reads: ‘Ehsaas Badlav Ka’ (Feel the change), is looking to tap people’s spiritual side apart from giving them their daily fix of news and current affairs.
About five months ago, Jagdale and his wife who is channel director Madhulika, started work on Jia, which also stands for ‘Journalist in Action’.
Equipped with a head office in Noida, 16 bureaus in states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, and a staff of 150 people including journalists, cameramen and stringers, Jia will air 60 per cent current affairs and 10 per cent sports and 10 per cent entertainment as part of its programming strategy. As of now, no south Indian state has been included and news from the southern region will be through tie-ups with ANI. Joy Sebastian has been appointed channel head while Ashish Mishra is chief editor. The hunt for a CEO is still on.
Interestingly, Jagdale, who has an oil and gas business, has funded Jia entirely out of his own pocket. “I have started the channel on emotions and feelings,” he says.
Unlike other channel launches, no big marketing campaign has been planned. Reason is Jagdale wants to first reach out to school and college students by hosting debates and elocutions and making them understand the importance of Hindi as a language. “Hindi as a language has become something of a burden and I want to change that,” he says. Promos will be uploaded on the Internet on the day of the launch.
Initially available on cable TV only, Jagdale plans to touch nearly 1.5 crore people. The web page will be launched on the tenth of this month. The channel also plans to have spiritual shows to help people relax and relieve stress.
Given the rash of Hindi channels lately, it remains to be seen whether Jia will manage to stand out from the crowd.
News Broadcasting
BBC to cut up to 2,000 jobs in biggest overhaul in 15 years
Cost pressures and leadership change drive major workforce reduction plan
LONDON: BBC has unveiled plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs, roughly 10 per cent of its global workforce, in what marks its biggest downsizing in 15 years.
The announcement was made during an all-staff meeting led by interim director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies, as the broadcaster moves to tackle mounting financial pressures and reshape its operations.
Between 1,800 and 2,000 roles are expected to be eliminated from a workforce of around 21,500. The cuts form part of a broader plan to save £500 million over the next two years, aimed at offsetting rising costs, stagnating licence fee income and weaker commercial revenues.
In a communication to staff, BBC interim director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies said, “I know this creates real uncertainty, but we wanted to be open about the challenge,” acknowledging the impact the move would have across the organisation.
The restructuring comes at a time of leadership transition. Former director-general Tim Davie stepped down earlier this month, with Matt Brittin, a former Google executive, set to take over the role on May 18, 2026.
While some cost-cutting measures are being implemented immediately, the majority of the structural changes are expected to roll out over the next few years, with full savings targeted by the 2027–2028 financial year.
The broadcaster had earlier signalled its intent to reduce its cost base by around 10 per cent over a three-year period, warning of “difficult choices” as it adapts to shifting economic realities and audience expectations.
With operating costs hovering around £6 billion annually, the BBC’s latest move underscores the scale of the financial challenge it faces, as it balances public service commitments with the need for long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive media landscape.
