News Broadcasting
Times Network launches ‘Election Yatra’ on Times Now and Times Now Navbharat
Mumbai: As the anticipation for the upcoming general elections in India intensifies, Times Network, India’s premium broadcast network announces Election Yatra, a first of its kind initiative in Indian news television. Led by the Network’s leading English and Hindi news channels, Times Now and Times Now Navbharat, Election Yatra is a state-of-the-art mobile studio that will traverse the length and breadth of the country, capturing the essence of democracy in action.
Covering 8,000 kms over a period of 40 days until the end of May, Times Now’s Election Yatra will travel across 38 cities in 9 states, including Delhi-Noida, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Embarking on a 60-day journey until June 04, Times Now Navbharat’s Election Yatra will extensively cover the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, and beyond.
With an unwavering commitment to bringing comprehensive and in-depth election reportage, Election Yatra breaks away from the typical in-studio format and delves deep into the heart of the Indian electorate, presenting incisive and accurate analysis directly from the ground. Helmed by the prominent prime time anchors of Times Now and Times Now Navbharat, this unique initiative serves as the definitive platform for insightful analysis, dynamic debates, and unparalleled coverage of the Indian electoral landscape.
Speaking about this pioneering initiative, Times Now and Times Now Navbharat group editor in chief Navika Kumar said, “Election Yatra is our endeavour to bring the political discourse closer to the people. By mobilizing our mobile studio and journeying into the heart of the nation, we are committed to capture the essence of democracy firsthand and provide our viewers with a deep understanding of the crucial issues in the upcoming elections, empowering them with informed perspectives to shape the future of our democracy”.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to air live counting day coverage for five state election results on May 4
The channel is rolling out its biggest election coverage machinery yet for results day on 4th May
NOIDA: The votes have been cast. Now comes the reckoning. CNN-News18 is pulling out all the stops for results day on 4th May, when counting begins across five battleground states — West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry — in what promises to be one of the most closely watched electoral verdicts in recent memory.
The channel’s coverage, titled Battle for the States: The Verdict, kicks off at 7am and runs through the day across linear TV, connected television and YouTube. It is the culmination of CNN-News18’s multi-format editorial initiative, Battle for the States, which has tracked the polls from the beginning under the theme Road to Power.
At the operational heart of the coverage will be the Live Results Hub, the channel’s central command centre built to collate, verify and process real-time data flowing in from reporters stationed at counting centres across constituencies. The hub combines newsroom intelligence, analytics and on-the-ground reporting to deliver what the channel promises will be the fastest and most accurate results coverage in English news.
Leading the on-air charge will be primetime anchors Rahul Shivshankar, Anand Narasimhan, Aman Sharma, Nabila Jamal and Shivani Gupta. They will be joined by a wide panel of commentators including author Chetan Bhagat; GVL Narasimha Rao, senior leader of the BJP; Smita Prakash, editor of ANI; activist Saira Shah Halim; political analyst Sumanth C Raman; Abhijit Iyer Mitra, senior fellow at IPCS; Amitabh Tiwari, founder of VoteVibe; columnist Abhijit Majumdar; Nalin Mehta, managing editor of MoneyControl; political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla; senior journalist Subir Bhaumik; and political analyst Manojit Mandal.
Shivshankar, who serves as editorial affairs director at CNN-News18, set out the stakes plainly. “Counting day is one of the most watched events in the electoral cycle, where speed and credibility are tested in real time,” he said. “Battle for the States: The Verdict is built on that promise, combining ground reporting, sharp analysis and cutting-edge election technology to give viewers the clearest and fastest route to the verdict. On May 4, CNN-News18 will once again be the nation’s most trusted channel to witness democracy in action.”
Smriti Mehra, chief executive of English and Business News at Network18, framed the coverage in broader terms. “Elections are defining national events, and audiences turn to brands they trust in moments that matter,” she said. “CNN-News18 has consistently led from the front in every election coverage, and this special programming reflects the scale of our ambition and editorial strength.”
The channel has form here. It claims to have been India’s most preferred English news destination for election results for the past 20 years, covering everything from the 2024 general elections to the Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar and BMC polls on the back of what it calls an “Always First, Always Right” record. Five states, one day, and a nation waiting for answers. The clock starts at 7am on 4th May.
