News Broadcasting
Sahara to take FCCB route for raising $50 million
MUMBAI: Sahara One Media and Entertainment Ltd has decided to take the foreign currency convertible bond (FCCB) route to raise around $50 million (Rs 2.2 billion).
“We are in the final stages of documentation for issue of FCCBs. We plan to raise around $50 million,” says a source in Sahara One Media and Entertainment Ltd.
Earlier the shareholders of Sahara had approved the issue of securities in the international market in the form of FCCBs, global depository receipts (GDRs) or other securities through public issue, private placements or preferential allotment. Sahara had also taken an enabling clause to raise up to $50 million.
The funds will be deployed for movie production, launch of a music channel, content acquisition for Hindi movie channel Filmy and general entertainment channel Sahara One.
Sahara has already tied up Rs 1.58 billion by diluting stake to investors. While C Sivasankaran’s Aircel Televentures Ltd. (ATL) has put in Rs 1.2 billion for acquiring 14.98 per cent stake, Bennett, Coleman & Company Ltd (publishers of The Times of India) has invested Rs 378 million for a six per cent equity. Sahara is in the process of issuing a preferential allotment of 322.5 million equity shares to ATL with a face value of Rs 10 each at a price of Rs 372 per share.
Sahara is also in talks to rope in a strategic investor. After divesting stake to ATL, the promoters holding in Sahara stands at 73 per cent. While Bennett, Coleman and Company’s holding is a little less than six per cent, the balance is with the public.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
