News Broadcasting
TV18 to raise Rs 200 million for expansion
MUMBAI: Television Eighteen Ltd’s annual general meeting (AGM) held on 25 June proves to be an interesting proposition. The key issue addressed at the forum was the approval of the authorised share capital of the company by Rs 200 million.
The Rs 200 million jump came in terms of the increase in preference shares from Rs 50 million comprising 5,00,000 preference shares of Rs 100 each to Rs 250 million comprising 25,00,000 preference shares of Rs 100 each.
The consequent effect would be given in the MOA (memorandum of association) of the company.
What would the approval of this additional Rs 200 million mean for TV Eighteen?
Industry sources say the company is gearing up for the launch of its much- awaited Hindi business channel, all set to be on air by the end of this year. Also, a significant upgradation of the English business service will be witnessed in the coming months in terms of infrastructure as well as human resource.
Speaking to indiantelevision.com Television 18 Ltd CEO Haresh Chawla elaborated, “It is a feel good time for TV18 as the channel is doing extremely well in terms of business reportage as well as on the ad sales front. We are also keenly exploring the Hindi speaking market and are gearing ourselves to make an entry into the Hindi arena.”
The AGM also approved the issue of an amount not exceeding Rs 500 million equity share or preference shares or debts and / or securities convertible into equity shares in one or more phases from time to time.
The other issue addressed at the forum was the stratification of ESOPs (employee stock option plan) in terms of TV 18 Employees Stock Purchase Plan 2004, TV 18 Senior Employee Stock Option Plan 2004 and TV18 Employee Stock Purchase Plan 2004 of the company. When questioned as to why the stratification was being done, Chawla commented, “The company has different people at different levels and hence this is an endeavour to ensure different customised retention plans.”
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.
