News Broadcasting
SAB TV starts beaming off Sky in UK
MUMBAI: Over a year and a half after its terrestrial launch in the United Kingdom, Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network Limited (SABTNL) today started beaming its Hindi entertainment channel SAB TV on the Rupert Murdoch-promoted Sky TV’s DTH platform.
SAB TV will be a digital free to air 24-hour entertainment channel in the UK.
The channel will reach around 75 per cent Indian and Asian households in the UK through DTH network. Soon SAB TV will also be available on cable networks to expand reach to those other Asian homes that are not on DTH platform, a company release says.
Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Markand Adhikari, vice-chairman and managing director, SAB TV, said the channel’s content would be same as that seen on the Indian feed. The only difference being that that there would be an hour of localised programming daily.
SAB TV broadcast will also be available in Europe. The negotiations are on for finalising cable distribution rights in other European countries on pay basis. SAB would continue to operate on terrestrial platform and will also expand in other regions.
With the launch of SAB TV on Sky, SABTNL is now operating both on satellite and terrestrial platform and will offer reach substantially higher than other Hindi entertainment channels, the release says.
SAB TV’s terrestrial link is via a 50:50 joint venture that was formed last year with the MATV Channel 6 – the only operator among Asian channels in the UK to have secured a restricted service licence (a requirement for terrestrial broadcast). SABTNL put in an initial investment of $1 million towards the JV in MATV, a Leicestershire based free-to-air Asian channel that was launched in 1999 as a terrestrial broadcaster.
The MATV hook-up was the first major initiative on the part of SABTNL to leverage internationally the programming that it had built up over the years. SABTNL also has joint ventures in Sri Lanka and Indonesia for providing programming.
Also Read:
SABe TV to air in UK from Friday (22 February 2002)
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 rolls out Battle for the States ahead of key polls
Multi-format election coverage tracks voter mood across five battleground states
NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has launched a special election programming initiative titled Battle for the States, as India gears up for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Built around the theme ‘Road to Power’, the multi-format coverage aims to follow the entire electoral journey, from campaigning and polling to results and government formation. The network is leaning into on-ground reportage and data-backed storytelling to decode voter sentiment across regions where local issues often shape the narrative.
The programming line-up includes ‘Vote Tracker’, a three-part series developed in collaboration with survey agency Vote Vibe. The show blends survey insights with expert commentary and field reporting, using augmented reality graphics to present complex electoral data such as vote share, seat projections and leadership preferences in a more accessible format. It will air every Monday evening until April 6.
Adding a cultural lens to political reporting is ‘So Saree!’, a ground-driven segment where women anchors travel across constituencies dressed in traditional handwoven sarees from each state. The format uses attire as a storytelling device, highlighting regional identity while capturing grassroots voices.
Meanwhile, ‘Unfiltered Kaapi’ and ‘Chai-Niti’ bring a more conversational tone, drawing inspiration from everyday political discussions in tea stalls and coffee corners. These segments aim to break down key issues through candid, fast-paced exchanges between anchors and reporters, tailored to regional sensibilities.
For viewers seeking deeper insights, the weekend docuseries ‘Reporters Project’ takes a longer view, with correspondents travelling across constituencies to map voter concerns and political shifts on the ground.
“Elections are about people, their aspirations, identities and the issues that matter to them, and every state tells a different story,” said CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar. He added that the initiative focuses on understanding “the sentiment on the ground and what’s driving voter choices”.
Echoing the emphasis on credibility, Network18 CEO – English and business news Smriti Mehra said the network aims to combine on-ground reporting with data-led insights to deliver clear and timely coverage as the elections unfold.
With a mix of data, culture and grassroots reporting, CNN-News18 is positioning Battle for the States as a comprehensive window into one of India’s most closely watched electoral cycles, where every vote carries a story waiting to be told.
