News Broadcasting
Taj Sports’ Bukhatir assures efforts to give Pakistan TV cricket feed
MUMBAI: Will it, won’t it (Ten Sports)? Hold firm on the Pakistan cricket telecast rights issue that is.
Dubai-based Taj Television, which manages Ten Sports and holds telecast rights for Pakistan cricket, has so far resisted pressures from India’s Prasar Bharati (managing Doordarshan and All India Radio) to get the matches telecast on DD as well.
But if the news emanating from Pakistan is anything to go by, day by day, that pressure is building. Chairman of Taj TV Abdulrahman Bukhatir today had a three-hour meeting with the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Shaharyar M Khan over what else but Indias forthcoming tour of Pakistan. PCB chief executive Ramiz Raja, Taj TV chief executive Chris McDonald, CBFS chief executive Zahid Noorani and PCB marketing consultant Riaz Mahmood were also present at the meeting.
According to a statement released the PCB, Bukhatir has been quoted as saying: “I assure the PCB of the sensitivity to the need for the people of Pakistan to which these matches on television in the largest possible numbers, and I assure that efforts are already well underway for PTV to carry the signal.”
The question of course is if the matches can be shown on PTV, what happens if DD also demands the same “courtesy”. Stay tuned for more on the high-stakes game that is being played out over this issue.
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.
