News Broadcasting
Separate broadcast regulator in offing: Reddy
NEW DELHI: Infobroad minister S Jaipal Reddy today informed fellow parliamentarians that the government was thinking of setting up a broadcasting regulatory authority to enforce guidelines and regulations on television and radio contents.
He did make it clear that the mandate for the sector that Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has in this regard is interim in nature.
In a written reply to a question in the Upper House, deemed to have been laid even as both houses of Parliament were adjourned today, Reddy said, “The matter (regulatory authority) is under consideration in the ministry.”
To another question, Reddy said Trai, in its consultation paper on broadcasting, has raised issues like making conditional access system (CAS) voluntary and subjecting pay channels and advertisements to price regulation, besides a host of quality-related matters.
Pointing out that the government is awaiting Trai’s final recommendations on a whole range of issues, Reddy added that the previous government’s decision to hand over broadcast and cable industry regulation to Trai would also be looked into.
To a related question whether the experiment to implement CAS in South Delhi had failed, Reddy said the state governments of National Capital Territory of Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal had approached the Centre for deferment/withdrawal of CAS, citing various reasons relating to consumer interests, including issue of pricing of pay channels, set top boxes and terms and conditions for procurement of set-top boxes.
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.
