News Broadcasting
RiTV plans Marathi channel for rural viewers
After a Gujarati and Punjabi channel, RiTV will launch a 24-hour Marathi channel during this fiscal year.
The channel will however steer clear of the current crop of Marathi channels that cater predominanty to urban life styles and will instead target rural and semi urban viewers. It will include programming closer to the dreams, hopes, aspirations and lifestyles of this group, an official release says. Agriculture and rural development content will thus be the driving force for success, according to RiTV. The broadcaster also has plans to start a Metro channel this year, which will focus on the SEC A segment in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, a market which the company feels is ideal for a host of nice/exclusive, high profile brands.
The company will invest Rs 40.4 million in the Metro channel and Rs 20.2 million for starting the Marathi channel. The Metro channel will source content from all the three ad heavy cities, covering social events, product launches, local self government, law and order issues, business news and Bollywood news, according to RiTV managing director Subhash Menon.
RiTV also has commenced production of regional films for television audiences in Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi and Hindi/Urdu, all of which will be premiered on the RiTV bouquet of channels, he says.
The company, which has firmed up plans of diluting 30 per cent stake is aiming to raise Rs 200 million this year. The funds will be used to launch the two new channels and create fresh software. The current fiscal will see RiTV producing 12 Punjabi movies and six Gujarati and Marathi movies each, a number that is expected to go even higher next year. The company has given the mandate for diluting stake to consulting firm Ernst & Young, which has valued the company at Rs 540.3 million. RITV has a programming library that comprises an estimated 3,500 hours of content, valued by Ernst & Young at almost Rs 90 million.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
