News Broadcasting
Ready for the future or face customer desertion: Chandra
MUMBAI: “It’s the end of TV, the way we know it.” That was Zee group chairman Subhash Chandra introducing his keynote at the plenary session today – Digital Entertainment Living.
The thrust of Chandra’s presentation could be said to be the common strand running through most of the sessions on Day 2 of Ficci Frames 2006, which is that the future was the consumption of content would be according to individual requirements and on the go as it were – how you want it, when you want it, where you want it.
Chandra spoke of a five point agenda that his company had laid out as its course into the digital future.
These included the need for segmentation of content; innovation in pricing; experimentating with new content ideas; seamless delivery across various platforms; and fourthly, essentially extending the preceding points, the absolute need to prepare for the future if loyalty of consumers was to be preserved.
Said Chandra, “We have to segment our content. Segmentation will become very important. Content needs to be individualized, personalized.” He also pointed to the possibility that it would not just be programming that was customised but advertising as well. Advertising directed at individuals rather than a mass audience will become possible, the Zee head honcho averred.
Expanding on the point of seamless delivery across platforms, Chandra made a strong case for the need to move towards opens standards rather than focusing on proprietary control.
Chandra warned that it was essential that broadcasters “prepare for the future otherwise consumers will desert us.”
Chandra said that the huge effort that was currently on to digitise Zee’s entire content library (1,500 movies, 50,000 hours of TV) in partnership with IBM was part of that effort. Chandra estimated that it would be another year before the process was complete.
Another key initiative in that direction, announced earlier in the day in partnership with chip maker Intel, is a separate company Digital Media Convergence Ltd (DMCL) to be headed by Zee Telefilms president Abhijit Saxena, Chandra said. DMCL’s brief was to acquire, digitize and make available on various platforms, a wide variety of content, he pointed out.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com on the sidelines of another session, Saxena said that DMCL would become fully functional only after Zee’s content offering had been completely digitised. The interim period (one year) would be spent in acquiring content from a variety of vendors across the globe, Saxena said.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 launches weekend show Health Matters to decode health trends
New show aims to cut through viral wellness fads with expert-backed advice
MUMBAI: In an age where viral reels often double up as lifestyle advice, CNN-News18 is launching a weekend show aimed at separating health facts from fashionable myths.
Titled News18 Health Matters, the half-hour programme will premiere on 14 March 2026 and position itself as a reliable guide through the maze of wellness trends, internet remedies and quick-fix health advice that increasingly shape everyday decisions.
India is in the midst of a major health transition. Lifestyle diseases are striking earlier, stress and sleep deprivation have become routine, and health choices are often influenced by trending content rather than medical evidence. The new show leans into this reality with a simple premise: trending does not always mean true.
Anchored by Hem Kaur Saroya and Himani Chandna, the programme will air every Saturday at 8:30 am and 5:30 pm and on Sundays at 10:30 am. Episodes will also be available on the channel’s YouTube platform.
Each instalment will tackle everyday health concerns that are increasingly entering mainstream conversations. Topics range from the rise of heart attacks among people under 40 and the growing reliance on protein supplements, to the rush toward weight-loss drugs and the widespread overuse of painkillers. The show will also examine issues such as screen addiction, chronic sleep loss, stress-related disorders and the rising prevalence of thyroid conditions, diabetes and hypertension.
Speaking about the launch, Rahul Shivshankar said the show aims to bring clarity to a space crowded with misinformation.
“With Health Matters, CNN-News18 aims to cut through the noise and empower viewers with clear, expert-led conversations grounded in science and medical evidence. At a time when viral trends increasingly influence lifestyle choices, it is important to distinguish between what is trending and what is truly beneficial for long-term health,” he said.
Echoing the sentiment, Smriti Mehra said the programme reflects the channel’s commitment to responsible and relevant programming.
“With growing public interest in wellness and preventive health, Health Matters strengthens CNN-News18’s focus on issues that affect everyday life. In an increasingly crowded information space, credible and verified health conversations have never been more important,” she said.
With Health Matters, CNN-News18 is betting that viewers want more than bite-sized advice and viral fixes. The show promises something rarer in the age of algorithm-driven wellness tips: calm, credible conversations that help people make better health choices.
