News Broadcasting
Sesame Workshop in talks with DD
NEW DELHI: Children’s educator and creator of the world famous Sesame Street, Sesame Workshop is in talks with Indian pubcaster Doordarshan for an alliance to reach out to maximum number of children in India.
“Talks with Doordarshan are in early stages, but we are exploring an option to have a weekend window (time band or slot),” Sesame Workshop president and CEO Gary E. Knell told Indiantelevision.com today.
DD’s terrestrial platform is being explored by Sesame Workshop, a non-profit organization, as it wants to reach out to the maximum number of children through its innovative and educative programmes. Especially those who do not have access to cable and satellite television.
To target kids in India’s approximately 61 million C&S households, Sesame Workshop has tied up with Tuner International India (managers of Cartoon Network and Pogo) and the New Delhi-based production house Miditech to bring an Indian version of Sesame Street called Galli Galli Sim Sim from mid-2006 .
According to Knell, ideally his company would like to have a time slot on DD’s terrestrial network that is suitable for children viewing and where Sesame Workshop characters can be used to spread public service messages too.
Apart from that, the Sesame Workshop-Turner combine will also explore production of Sesame Street in another Indian language, which could be Tamil. Galli Galli Sim Sim will be in Hindi on Pogo.
“The work on the other language production, apart from Hindi, will start in a couple of months’ time,” Knell said.
Sesame Workshop is a nonprofit educational organization making a meaningful difference in the lives of children around the world. Founded in 1968, the Workshop changed television forever with the legendary Sesame Street.
Today, the Workshop continues to innovate on behalf of children in 120 countries, using its proprietary research methodology to ensure its programmes and products are engaging and enriching.
Sesame Workshop is behind award-winning programs like Dragon Tales, Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat, Pinky Dinky Doo and groundbreaking multimedia productions in South Africa, Egypt and Russia.
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.
