News Broadcasting
Ten Sports asserts going it alone on distribution
MUMBAI: Dubai-based sports broadcaster Ten Sports declared today that they have set up their own in-house distribution team and are managing the distribution side of the business independently.
The “clarification” was made in response to rumours in the industry that Ten Sports was likely to hitch its distribution activity to the Zee Group stable following its recent split from Modi Entertainment Network.
The statement issued by Ten today states: “Any rumours of the channel joining or aligning with the Zee Turner bouquet or forming a distribution JV with Zee are completely false. Any pricing offers made by Zees distribution team or its distributors, involving the selling of the Ten Sports channel as a part of an alignment with the Zees bouquet or Zees sports channel are baseless.”
With the upcoming Pakistan-India hockey series and the tri-series in Pakistan involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe round the corner, the Ten Sports distribution team is working closely with distributors and cable trade on the ground, the statement adds.
After its break with MEN, the question that has been doing the rounds is on whether it would ally with Zee or the Sony-Discovery distribution platform.
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.
