News Broadcasting
Pearl Broadcasting invests Rs 400 million in P7 News, Mumbai launch on 23 September
MUMBAI: Pearl Broadcasting Corporation has invested close to Rs 400 million in P7 News and is set to formally launch the Hindi news channel in Mumbai on 23 September.
P7 has already signed up major cable networks including Incablenet, Hathway Cable & Datacom, Scod18 and Wire & Wireless India Ltd (WWIL).
“Our investment so far has been close to Rs 400 million (barring distribution). For Mumbai, we are spending around Rs 50 million for distributing the channel on cable networks. We have already signed annual deals with the the major cable networks in Mumbai,” Pearl Broadcasting director Jyoti Narain tells Indiantelevision.com.
Launched on 27 March in Delhi, the channel is already available in other Hindi speaking markets. “We have spent around Rs 80 million on distribution. We are available in the states including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. We recently signed a deal with Gujarat Telelink Private Ltd (GTPL),” avers Narain.
The free-to-air (FTA) channel is also available on Essel Group’s direct-to-home (DTH) company Dish TV and DD Direct Plus.
With the tagline ‘Ek Umeed’ (a ray of hope), the channel has a staff count of 375 across 11 bureaus. The channel has six OB-vans for news gathering and an association with 600 stringers across the nation for news.
“It is a very competitive space. We can’t compromise on content. Our focus is on social and developmental stories across the country,” adds Narain.
With the Mumbai launch, the channel will have a new look and feel as new segments will be added. At present, P7 News runs over 20 news-based supplements in weekdays, while it picks up social issues and campaigns on weekends.
Within six months of launch, the channel has roped in advertisers like Coca-Cola, Bata, and Morepen apart from a clutch of real estate companies.
Pearl Group has a wide array of business interests spanning real estate, tourism, TV & film production and print publication.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
