News Broadcasting
Raj TV in deal with Neo Sports for Bangladesh series
MUMBAI: In a first-ever deal, a sports broadcaster has tied up with a regional network to telecast live cricket in language feed.
Neo Sports will supply Raj Television Network Ltd. feed in Tamil and Telugu for the India Bangladesh cricket series which kicks off on 10 May.
The telecast will be on Raj TV and Vissa TV, the Tamil and Telugu channels. The cricket series comprises three one-dayers and two Test matches.
The cricket feed will include the Neo Sports logo bug and will present an advertising opportunity for local advertisers and brands to ride on live India cricket.
Says Neo Sports Broadcast CEO Shashi Kalathil, “Cricket viewership In Tamil Nadu & Andhra Pradesh is lesser than the Hindi Speaking markets while the overall consumption of local regional TV programmes is very high. It has always been our strategic intent to cater specifically to this large audience bringing value to both the viewer & advertiser.”
Raj TV COO creative Raju Easwaran said, ” Cricket is the only true national passion which enjoys the same following across the length & breadth of the country. This innovation around cricket is sure to capture the imagination & fancy of the cricket lovers on Raj TV & Vissa TV. We expect unprecedented ratings on the back of our strong channel reach & penetration coupled with the viewer friendly regional commentary around what should be a very exciting series”
“In what is now seen as a “fresh start” for Team India and in the backdrop of the World Cup result, the Bangladesh tour is also being billed as a revenge series of sorts, resulting in heightened interest nationally.”
Meanhwhile the live coverage on Neo Sports will include a pre, mid and post match show specifically targetting the youth viewer, called Extra Cover. It features talent like Rohan Gavaskar and Hrishikesh Kanitkar for the first time on international cricket broadcast. Adding a further dimension to the coverage, Neo Sports has signed two well known TV anchors Archana Vijaya and Neha Sareen.
While Archana would bring to the fore, the pulse of the Indian cricket fan via interviews, vox pops etc. Neha will demystify the statistical aspects of the game with her inherent flair for numbers, being an economics graduate from Ohio University. All this, in a first for Indian sports television, will be enhanced with cutting edge virtual graphics using the very latest that technology can offer, now available to Neo Sports at their new virtual studios at Malad, Mumbai.
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.
