News Broadcasting
Red FM and ‘DNA’ ink content sharing deal
MUMBAI: Content sharing and co-branding is the wave of the broadcast media market, at present. Taking a cue from the emerging trend, the radio arm of the India Today Group – Red FM 93.5 and the print venture of the Dainik Bhaskar Group and Zee TV Daily News Analysis (DNA) have signed a content sharing deal.
The strategic alliance between DNA and Red FM will be in the areas of content, music and entertainment, Bollywood, movie marketing, ground tie-ups and promotions.
Recently, Red FM revamped its brand position in a bid to reinvent with the philosophy ‘Awaaz Uthaate, Red Bajaate Raho’ and DNA being a new brand in the print medium market possess the philosophy on similar lines – ‘Speak Up.’ Hence, this marriage makes a perfect sense to gain and maximise through its respective brand equity, says Red FM COO Abraham Thomas.
DNA sales and marketing head Suresh Balakrishnan pretty much echoed what Thomas had to say.
In this context DNA president Pradeep Guha says, “The strong media platforms of Red and DNA are very apt to promote each other’s properties and brands, and merging the audience base of the two will only help create a larger and stronger loyalty base.”
The strategic alliance enables complete synergy as the two media complement each other in their very nature of being local, city-centric and integral to the fabric of Mumbai.
Through this alliance both brands will be able expand respective veiwership and listenership. Thomas states, “With our philosophy we will be able to target every segment of Mumbai. I am excited about the alliance as both of us share a common philosophy and it offers immense scope for synergy across content, marketing, causes and alliances. Together we will nicely complement each other to be an integral part of Mumbai.”
“Through DNA’s page two, which is identified as — ‘Speak Up’ and with our philosophy of ‘Bajaate Raho’ both the brands will voice the common man’s concerns while maintaining the essence of entertainment,” he adds.
The two will leverage the platform for ground events and Bollywood aspects. In a bid to explore more platforms, Thomas adds that it is likely that there is a possibility to tap big music stores and outlets such as Music World for content like Top 30 Bollywood song. Both platforms will pool in resources to create content such as Top 30 Bollywood song and concurrently create more stimulating content besides sharing content.
Thomas voiced that movie marketing promotions indeed seemed like a good proposition and the two brands would maximise on the same and explore this platform jointly.
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.
