News Broadcasting
Sony bids $40 million for Indo-Pak series
MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television (SET) has made a composite bid of $40 million to get the satellite TV telecast rights of the upcoming India-Pakistan cricket series, indicating a high price broadcasters are willing to pay to control cricket programming.
Sony’s offer to BCCI includes air time sales and telecast rights for India and international territories. The Madras High Court has already mandated the telecast feed of the matches to pubcaster Prasar Bharati, but kept all the other rights including air time sales and production contract with the BCCI to decide.
According to a source, Sony has made a three-tier bid, offering the cricket board different options for a deal.
As an alternate offer, Sony has bid $26 million for the international and India satellite TV rights. As a third option, Sony has made a bid of $10 million for international telecast rights, the source says.
“We have made different bids so that the board can weigh its options and take a decision accordingly. The only thing we have stayed out of is bidding for just the production rights,” the source adds.
Several broadcasters and sports marketing agencies have evinced strong interest in the India-Pakistan series. Nimbus Communications had bid in the range of $33-45 million, depending upon the “quality of coverage, type of the matches and swiftness in decision making.” This includes air time sales, sale of international rights and TV production for the series.
Dubai-based Ten Sports, Pakistan-based broadcast company ARY Digital and sports marketing firm TWI have also bid for the rights, according to industry sources.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 rolls out Battle for the States ahead of key polls
Multi-format election coverage tracks voter mood across five battleground states
NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has launched a special election programming initiative titled Battle for the States, as India gears up for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Built around the theme ‘Road to Power’, the multi-format coverage aims to follow the entire electoral journey, from campaigning and polling to results and government formation. The network is leaning into on-ground reportage and data-backed storytelling to decode voter sentiment across regions where local issues often shape the narrative.
The programming line-up includes ‘Vote Tracker’, a three-part series developed in collaboration with survey agency Vote Vibe. The show blends survey insights with expert commentary and field reporting, using augmented reality graphics to present complex electoral data such as vote share, seat projections and leadership preferences in a more accessible format. It will air every Monday evening until April 6.
Adding a cultural lens to political reporting is ‘So Saree!’, a ground-driven segment where women anchors travel across constituencies dressed in traditional handwoven sarees from each state. The format uses attire as a storytelling device, highlighting regional identity while capturing grassroots voices.
Meanwhile, ‘Unfiltered Kaapi’ and ‘Chai-Niti’ bring a more conversational tone, drawing inspiration from everyday political discussions in tea stalls and coffee corners. These segments aim to break down key issues through candid, fast-paced exchanges between anchors and reporters, tailored to regional sensibilities.
For viewers seeking deeper insights, the weekend docuseries ‘Reporters Project’ takes a longer view, with correspondents travelling across constituencies to map voter concerns and political shifts on the ground.
“Elections are about people, their aspirations, identities and the issues that matter to them, and every state tells a different story,” said CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar. He added that the initiative focuses on understanding “the sentiment on the ground and what’s driving voter choices”.
Echoing the emphasis on credibility, Network18 CEO – English and business news Smriti Mehra said the network aims to combine on-ground reporting with data-led insights to deliver clear and timely coverage as the elections unfold.
With a mix of data, culture and grassroots reporting, CNN-News18 is positioning Battle for the States as a comprehensive window into one of India’s most closely watched electoral cycles, where every vote carries a story waiting to be told.
