News Broadcasting
Sahara Samay VP Prabhat Dabral to oversee news bureaus
MUMBAI: Sahara Samay vice-president Prabhat Dabral, who has been managing the network’s national channel Sahara Samay Rashtriya, now has editorial functions added to his portfolio. Dabral will shoulder additional responsibilities in the network as head of all Sahara’s news bureaus.
According to a company source, the creation of a position of head of Sahara News Bureaus has been done mainly to oversee the operations of the news channels. The person will also function as a focal point to whom all individual channel heads will report.
Another change being instituted is that Rao Birendra Singh, who had been looking after Sahara Samay UP (the Uttar Pradesh-specific news channel) and Sahara Samay Rashtriya, will now only have Sahara Samay Rashtriya under his editorial charge.
Sahara India Media and Entertainment (SIME) head of media operations Sudhir Kumar will now have to decide who is to head Sahara Samay UP. According to company sources, the post will in all likelihood be filled by an internal appointee.
A point of note is that Sahara Samay Mumbai is not part of the new reporting structure.The Mumbai operation is looked after by Sahara Samay vice-president Rajiv Bajaj.
When queried as to why the Mumbai head does not have to report in to Dabral, it was pointed out that the Mumbai operations, including the channel’s uplinking, are taken care of in the city, whereas the other news channels are uplinked out of Noida on the outskirts of Delhi.
Dabral would also oversee the launch of Sahara Samay Gujarati and English for south India, which are in the pipeline. The two region-specific channels are targeted for a year-end launch.
Last month, SIME senior VP Ambikanand Sahay quit from the post suddenly. The management has yet not taken any decision as to who would take over from Sahay after his departure.
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
