News Broadcasting
Prasar Bharati’s Sircar says no new NE channel planned
MUMBAI: It was on 12 November that the media was abuzz with the news that Indian terrestrial pubcaster Doordarshan (DD) is all set to give birth to another baby to add to its 21 channel brood. Reports stated that the channel called Prabha would target the North Eastern states of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh to show showcase their art and culture. It seemed as though it was a done thing.
However, when indiantelevision.com contacted Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar, he highlighted that currently there was only a conversation going on whether such a step should be taken; nothing had really fructified.
“This idea was discussed in Arunachal Pradesh during my recent visits but it is for the government – not Prasar Bharati – to decide whether to go ahead with it or not,” says Sircar.
As of now, the government owned network has two all India channels (DD National and DD News), 11 regional language satellite channels, four state networks, one international channel, DD Sports as well as DD Rajya Sabha and DD Lok Sabha. One of these is a satellite TV channel for North East called DD North East that telecasts programmes in Assamese, English and other regional dialects with a programming mix of serials, informative and social shows, infotainment, news, current affairs, art and culture.
With a channel already addressing the needs of TV viewers in this region, does creating a second one make sense? “If additional funds are available from the government then maybe Prasar Bharati could take a shot,” quips Sircar. He was recently on a tour to Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Nagaland to understand the issues facing DD in the region and to increase its reach. It was during this tour that some discussions and proposals were made, which were then reported by a wire service.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to air live counting day coverage for five state election results on May 4
The channel is rolling out its biggest election coverage machinery yet for results day on 4th May
NOIDA: The votes have been cast. Now comes the reckoning. CNN-News18 is pulling out all the stops for results day on 4th May, when counting begins across five battleground states — West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry — in what promises to be one of the most closely watched electoral verdicts in recent memory.
The channel’s coverage, titled Battle for the States: The Verdict, kicks off at 7am and runs through the day across linear TV, connected television and YouTube. It is the culmination of CNN-News18’s multi-format editorial initiative, Battle for the States, which has tracked the polls from the beginning under the theme Road to Power.
At the operational heart of the coverage will be the Live Results Hub, the channel’s central command centre built to collate, verify and process real-time data flowing in from reporters stationed at counting centres across constituencies. The hub combines newsroom intelligence, analytics and on-the-ground reporting to deliver what the channel promises will be the fastest and most accurate results coverage in English news.
Leading the on-air charge will be primetime anchors Rahul Shivshankar, Anand Narasimhan, Aman Sharma, Nabila Jamal and Shivani Gupta. They will be joined by a wide panel of commentators including author Chetan Bhagat; GVL Narasimha Rao, senior leader of the BJP; Smita Prakash, editor of ANI; activist Saira Shah Halim; political analyst Sumanth C Raman; Abhijit Iyer Mitra, senior fellow at IPCS; Amitabh Tiwari, founder of VoteVibe; columnist Abhijit Majumdar; Nalin Mehta, managing editor of MoneyControl; political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla; senior journalist Subir Bhaumik; and political analyst Manojit Mandal.
Shivshankar, who serves as editorial affairs director at CNN-News18, set out the stakes plainly. “Counting day is one of the most watched events in the electoral cycle, where speed and credibility are tested in real time,” he said. “Battle for the States: The Verdict is built on that promise, combining ground reporting, sharp analysis and cutting-edge election technology to give viewers the clearest and fastest route to the verdict. On May 4, CNN-News18 will once again be the nation’s most trusted channel to witness democracy in action.”
Smriti Mehra, chief executive of English and Business News at Network18, framed the coverage in broader terms. “Elections are defining national events, and audiences turn to brands they trust in moments that matter,” she said. “CNN-News18 has consistently led from the front in every election coverage, and this special programming reflects the scale of our ambition and editorial strength.”
The channel has form here. It claims to have been India’s most preferred English news destination for election results for the past 20 years, covering everything from the 2024 general elections to the Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar and BMC polls on the back of what it calls an “Always First, Always Right” record. Five states, one day, and a nation waiting for answers. The clock starts at 7am on 4th May.
