News Broadcasting
Sahara TV to take on a new look 15 August; slew of new shows being readied
For long a has-been, Sahara TV is now gearing up to stand up and be counted. In preparation for a major programming revamp that is rolling out in September, the channel is going in for a new look on 15 August. Aimed to coincide with Independence Day, the channel will sport new graphics as well as a couple of new shows.
The channel also has plans to introduce a special weekend programming line-up within the next two months, says Sahara TV president Satish Menon.
Among the new programmes that are to be launched on the channel in a phased manner in the next few months is Parchhaiyan, a suspense soap that premiered on Monday. Slotted in the 9 pm prime time band Mondays to Thursdays, the Ravi Rai directed series starring Milind Gunaji and Reena Wadhwa is pitched directly against family soaps on mainstream satellite channels, says Menon.
The channel’s Independence Day programming line up includes a mega entertainment show titled Bharat Parva featuring Bollywood’s top stars. And continuing in that nationalistic vein, an hour long weekly show Mission Fateh, an ode to soldiers on the battlefront, launches 16 August at 9 pm. Each episode will feature the saga of a martyr fighting for the country in the unfriendly terrain of Kargil.
Among the channel’s new shows lined up for September is an adapted version of the classic hit series I Love Lucy with retired former Bollywood superstar Sridevi in the lead role. Post-September will also see Sahara coming out with a strong weekend programming line up, says Menon.
The channel recently appointed SSC&B to promote its programmes, Shubh Mangal Savdhan and Parchhaiyan in a multi media campaign encompassing print, outdoor and radio. The task of making the new graphics and new look of Sahara TV has been given to graphics major Crest Communications, says Menon.
News Broadcasting
News18 India to air Sabse Bada Dangal on 4 May counting day
Channel promises fastest results, live trends and analysis across five states.
MUMBAI: Ballots will do the talking and screens will do the shouting. As counting day approaches for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, News18 India is gearing up for an all-day broadcast of its flagship election show, Sabse Bada Dangal, on 4 May from 6 am onwards. The Hindi news channel plans to deliver continuous, real-time updates as votes are tallied, combining live counting data with on-ground reporting and studio analysis. With political fortunes set to shift through the day, the coverage will track every swing, surge and surprise as trends turn into results.
The broadcast will feature a mix of senior political leaders, analysts and experts, offering instant reactions and decoding the evolving electoral picture. Expect heated debates, quick takes and detailed breakdowns as the numbers settle across all five states.
For News18 India, counting day has long been a high-visibility moment. The network is banking on its reporting reach, editorial bandwidth and technology-driven coverage to stay ahead in what is often a fiercely competitive news cycle.
With multiple battlegrounds and shifting narratives, the day promises both drama and data in equal measure. And if all goes to plan, Sabse Bada Dangal will once again turn the counting of votes into prime-time spectacle.
