News Broadcasting
Paul Schlesinger to head BBC Radio Entertainment
MUMBAI: Paul Schlesinger will head BBC Radio Entertainment in the UK. He will be responsible for all in-house comedy and entertainment programmes on BBC national radio, from established favourites such as Just A Minute to developing the talents of unfledged performers and writers.
He is producing comedy shows for BBC Television and has been involved in encouraging new talent. He said,”This is a fantastic opportunity to make Radio Entertainment a magnet for talent.”
His successes as a producer span both radio and television. On radio he was responsible for People Like Us and Absolute Power – both from writers new to radio and which successfully transferred to the small screen – and The Sunday Format.
BBC director, drama, entertainment and CBBC Alan Yentob said, “We couldn’t have hoped for a candidate with more experience and talent than Paul. I am confident that Paul is exactly the right person for this role, and that he will continue to build on the links between radio and television, nurturing our successful shows and bringing new talent to our airwaves.”
BBC director, radio and music Jenny Abramsky said, “I am delighted to welcome Paul back to radio and know that under his leadership the Radio Entertainment department will go from strength to strength. Not only does he have a thorough knowledge of radio with many hit series to his name, his experience in television will be invaluable in ensuring that radio continues to play a vital role in providing top-class comedy for its audiences.”
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.
