News Broadcasting
Prasar Bharati to bring back 80’s popular mythological epics
MUMBAI: At one time, India’s streets used to empty out when two particular programmes came on air, just like the roads are deserted today in the age of the novel coronavirus. We are referring to the two epic dramas that used to be telecast on Doordarshan in the eighties – Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan and BR Chopra’s Mahabharat.
Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekar Vempati is hoping to bring them back on Doordarshan.
He announced on twitter that he is in conversation with the rights owners – BR Films and Sagar Arts to acquire the rights for the telecast. “Will update shortly. Stay tuned,” Shashi had tweeted.
Then he shared another tweet a short while later: “Hopeful of sharing schedule by the end of the day. Technical and logistics issues being worked out.”
Putting the shows on air could work well for Doordarshan, especially as a large part of India is at home with little to do. Work from home is not yielding too many results, courtesy the country lockdown announced by prime minister Narendra Modi.
The question is whether more aware and discerning audiences will take well to the production values that the two shows have, in the age of high-end VFX. “What the two shows had were a lot of heart, a good caste and fabulous storytelling on a channel which was the only one viewers could watch at that time,” says a veteran TV producer. “Hence, the two shows rated extremely high. In today’s environment where near-realistic VFX has come to epic dramas from the likes of Siddharth Kumar Tewary’s Mahabharat or Krishna shows on Star, modern audiences may shy away from them. However, only time will tell how audiences will react.”
To DD’s advantage, its channels are available freely on DD FreeDish which has become an alternative to those viewers in private pay TV dark areas, on account of pricing and packaging restrictions imposed on private broadcasters by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India under its new tariff order.
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
