News Broadcasting
No-frills, non-agenda Patrika channel wants to air news – unequivocally
MUMBAI: The art of communicating simple yet hard-hitting information sometimes termed as journalism for arming and guarding people at large, which seemed to have lost its significance in the cacophony of television channels, brand heralds, entertainment and event noises, may gradually gain importance if the idealistic Arnab and the likes were to succeed.
One more crucial addition to the profession of news publication is the unique channel, Patrika TV Rajasthan, which assures to be non-political, non-agenda, non-entertainment, serious and responsible news channel from the legendary house of print journalism.
The Patrika group has now forayed into TV news channel by launching a free-to-air Hindi news channel Patrika TV Rajasthan. The channel started airing on 5 April, thus joining the likes of Times and ABP groups.
The news channel by just-turned-multimedia group is being led by Rajasthan Patrika group vice-president B R Singh and group deputy editor Bhuvnesh Jain, who will oversee content as well. The group believes in trusting their own people, and therefore, instead of hiring people from the market, they recast their internal team for television roles.
The channel is available in HD feed and will air news content from 6am to 11pm. The programming content of the channel caters to news from all genres, such as — politics, socio-cultural, environment, business and markets, sports, youth and women-centric issues, music, culture, art and other special events.
A standard day for the news channel starts with Dharam Karam, a show based on spirituality followed by Sehat aur Zindagi at 6:30 am, and then news updates from Rajasthan at 7am. The channel has lined up some interesting segments such as ‘She News’ aired at 11.30am, which will take up women-centric issues. ‘She Leads’ at 4pm will focus on women leaders.
Patrika primetime, a debate on the latest issues, is also a part of the bouquet. Sports news will be aired at 7pm, and at 10:30 pm, Primetime 2 will be telecast — it will have discussion on important issues.
At present, the channel is available on two DTH platforms, Tata Sky and Airtel Digital TV. “We are in talks with other players as well. We will also be taking the channel on major cable operators as well as local. We are in talks with Den and Hathway,” BR Singh told www.indiantelevision.com.
Singh said, “Patrika group is known for its idealistic journalism and credibility. We are not here to compete with anyone. We are known for value journalism, and with this ideology, we have launched the news channel.”
The news channel is also accessible on mobile phones. Singh informed that the network has 2000 reporters and experts spread across the country. The reporters can capture the news on their mobile devices and through CCMS software they can transfer the file to the broadcast centre at a much faster than standard time.
A component content management system (CCMS) is a content management system that manages content at a granular level (component) rather than at the document level. Each component represents a single topic, concept or asset (for example an image, table, product description, a procedure).
Generally, when a channel is launched, the first question that comes to one’s mind is about investment. Here, the case seems to be different.
The channel is following an economic model, and how. Patrika Group seems to have designed a unique cost-efficient format.
The group has skipped investing in a massive infrastructure generally required to establish a new channel. They already own huge office space and a significant cost saving has been done by utilising internal resources in terms of staff.
The cost of setting up studios, investing in cameras and allied equipment has been curtailed since the new model uses CCMS. Patrika TV Rajasthan is now out to capture the television universe through its no-frills model.
A pen is definitely mightier than the sword. Whether a branded, expensive or fancy pen is important or the thought, conviction and resolve behind the draft is significant, time will tell.
News Broadcasting
Times Network to air JVC Exit Poll across 5 regions on April 29
Four-hour broadcast spans states and Puducherry with data-led analysis
MUMBAI: Times Network is set to roll out what it calls one of its most expansive election programming efforts yet, culminating in the JVC Exit Poll on 29 April, with a multi-hour broadcast spanning key poll-bound regions.
The exit poll will air across Times Now and Times Now Navbharat, beginning at 5pm and 4pm respectively. Co-powered by Vedanta and Jindal Stainless, the programming aims to combine on-ground reportage with data-driven projections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
The network has deployed over 50 journalists across these regions, gathering voter sentiment and local insights in the run-up to polling. The effort builds on its ongoing election formats such as Election Yatra and Election Premier League, which have tracked campaign narratives and community-level issues.
In parallel, Times Now Navbharat has focused on constituency-level reporting in West Bengal through its Jan Gan ka Mann series, capturing voter opinions across diverse segments.
The coverage has also featured interviews with prominent political leaders. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala and V D Satheesan have appeared on the network’s election specials. From Tamil Nadu, voices including deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran, BJP leader K Annamalai and NTK’s Seeman have also featured in discussions.
On the day of the exit poll, the network’s primetime anchors, including Navika Kumar, Zakka Jacob and Sumit Awasthi, will lead the coverage. They will be joined by a panel of political analysts, psephologists and senior journalists offering real-time insights and interpretation of trends.
The programming will integrate grassroots reportage with analytics from the JVC Exit Poll, aiming to give viewers an early sense of electoral outcomes ahead of the official results on 4 May.
With its combined English and Hindi broadcast reach, Times Network is positioning this effort as a comprehensive look at voter sentiment, blending field reporting, data and debate to decode what could lie ahead when the final mandate is revealed.
