News Broadcasting
Sun TV spearheads channel war in south
After waiting for nearly seven years to launch his first four channels, Kalanithi Maran, the 35-year old chairman and managing director of Sun TV, is now going all out and launching four new channels within a span of seven weeks.May 19 saw the launch of their new Telegu movie & music channel, Teja TV. The channel is expected to take on market leader Ramoji Roa’s Eenadu TV. The total ad revenue for the state is about Rs 1.3 billion and Eenadu has the lions share of almost Rs 600 million, Sun’s Gemini is second with Rs 400 million share.
Sun also launched its second Kannada channel, Ushe Tv which is also a music and movie channel. Though the channel has no competition in the state, (the only popular satellite channel in the state is Sun’s Udaya TV) the move to start another Kannada channel is seen as more of an defensive step. This is because the all the state needs is another Kannada channel and there will be a huge dent in the ad revenue distribution in the state. Udaya TV, incidentally grabs a huge chunk of almost Rs 600 million out of the total market of Rs 850 million. The other channel is the state owned DD-9.
Apart from this Maran also plans to launch a 24-hour news channel, Udaya News, which will air news in Kannda and English.
This major offensive on Maran’s part is unlike his characteristic behaviour which he has displayed in the past. But if you have indusrty heavyweights like Subhash Chandra and Ramoji Rao as your competitors it is definitely justified on Maran’s part to go all out in trying to get the first move advantage.
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.
