News Broadcasting
Prasar Bharati revokes telecast fee hike for serial extensions
The Prasar Bharati board has decided to remove the hike in telecast fee on serials getting an extension beyond the minimum 26 episodes on DD National.
The pubcaster has also decreed that there would be a cap of 52 episodes for weekly serials and 39 weeks for daily soaps, a directive that might well spell an end to unending sagas unfolding on the small screen. According to the rate card DD circulated last year, serials on DD National were subject to a 25 per cent hike on the basic telecast fee after the 26th episode and a further 25 per cent hike after 52 episodes.
The rationale behind the hikes was purportedly that any serial needs a few weeks to establish itself, and after 26 episodes it starts recovering the money. The global recession however has resulted in slimmer coffers for DD, with advertisers exploring options other than television commercials.
At the Prasar Bharati meeting held this week, other issues discussed included marketing rights for DD World, issues relating to telecast rights of DD Sports and performance of AIR resources, reports say.
News Broadcasting
India Today Group sweeps top honours at Ramnath Goenka Awards
Journalists recognised for fearless investigative and civic reporting.
MUMBAI: India Today Group just turned the Ramnath Goenka Awards into its own trophy cabinet because when your reporters dig this deep, even the judges have to award a clean sweep. India Today Group journalists have secured multiple top honours at the latest edition of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, reinforcing the network’s legacy as the gold standard of Indian journalism. The awards were conferred by vice president C. P. Radhakrishnan at a ceremony held on 27 March 2026.
Sreya Chatterjee won in the ‘Investigative Reporting – Broadcast’ category for her powerful India Today TV report ‘Operation Illegals: The Alarming Rise in Bangladeshi Infiltration Across India’s Fragile Eastern Frontier’. The investigation stood out for its depth, on-ground rigour and national relevance.
In the ‘Civic Journalism – Print/Digital’ category, Sreya Chatterjee along with Arvind Ojha were honoured for their indiatoday.in report on unregulated water extraction and the ‘Tanker Mafia’ in Delhi’s Bawana Industrial Area. The story exposed critical systemic gaps and environmental challenges affecting daily life.
Additionally, aajtak.in was recognised in the ‘Investigative Reporting – Print/Digital’ category for its hard-hitting exposé ‘The Surrogate Mother Market’, which highlighted the human, legal and ethical dimensions of the surrogacy ecosystem.
India Today Group emerged as the only network honoured in Investigative Journalism across both Print/Digital and Broadcast categories. The wins reflect the strength of its multi-platform newsroom and its unwavering commitment to credible, high-impact reporting that informs public discourse and drives accountability.
In an era when speed often trumps substance, these awards remind us that the most powerful stories are still the ones dug out with courage, told with clarity, and delivered with conscience, one fearless byline at a time.
