News Broadcasting
Primetime in JV with South African firm for radio services
MUMBAI: Radio can turn out to be a game for the big boys. Radio Mirchi, Radio City, Sun TV group and Anil Ambani-controlled Adlabs have aggressive rollout plans and are willing to loosen the purse strings.
Small and regional FM radio operators are toying with the idea of forming a consortium to sell advertising and buy equipment in bulk to match the size of the national players.
Foreign companies are eyeing this as an opportunity to offer their management and technical expertise. One such company has announced its entry into India.
Kagiso Media, a leading radio company in South Africa, has floated a 50:50 joint venture with Mumbai-based Primetime International Services, an independent media sales firm.
The new entity, Primetime Kagiso, will offer comprehensive services to radio stations and advertisers. “Our aim is to assemble a group of radio stations and handle their ad sales. We are close to signing an agreement with Malar Publications and a Delhi-based firm. We also plan to provide management consultancy and training facilities,” says Kagiso Media executive director Omar Essack.
Malar plans to operate in six cities including Chennai, Madurai and Pondicherry. Primetime Kagiso is scouting for other regional operators so that it can form a big consortium.
Primetime has been an active player since 1985 in marketing time and space across media including TV, Out-of-Home and are now venturing into the radio domain.
B.A.G Infotainment Ltd is also planning to lead a 40-member consortium which will give it a national footprint to present before advertisers. Speaking at the India Radio Forum 2006 on “The challenges before regional/local FM radio broadcasters,” BAG Infotainment COO Rajiv Mishra said, “Through the consortium, it will offer more number of stations and volume discounts to the national advertisers.”
Agreed Gwalior Farms promoter Manmeet Gulzar: “Radio Mirchi is already an invisible competitor in the Gwalior radio space. Though it does not exist in the city, it still has a high recall value here. The advertisers may take to the big players.”
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.
