News Broadcasting
Trai washes hands off DD-Ten Sports telecast tussle
MUMBAI: You can’t accuse Prasar Bharti CEO KS Sarma of not having tried. But by the looks of things Sarma looks to have run out of cards to play as far as getting terrestrial telecast rights for the upcoming Indo-Pak series is concerned.
Sarma’s last ditch attempt in appealing to the broadcast regulator to intervene has fallen flat after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) today said it has no jurisdiction in the matter.
“I don’t think we have powers to do anything in this matter……there is no legal provision within the country to help us solve this issue,” the Press Trust of India quoted Trai chairman Pradip Baijal as saying in New Delhi.
In a letter to Trai dated 13 February, 2004, Prasar Bharati Corporation, while seeking the regulator’s intervention in the matter, had argued that a public broadcaster cannot be held to “ransom” by the telecast rights holder over commercial considerations.
“It is our firm view that the rights holders cannot hold us to ransom by not giving access to terrestrial rights merely on commercial considerations,” Sarma had stated in the letter — a copy of which is available with indiantelevision.com — to Trai chairman Pradip Baijal.
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.
