News Broadcasting
UTV has big hopes on revamped ‘Shakalaka Boom Boom’
MUMBAI: The longest running kids show on cable & satellite TV, Star Plus’ Shakalaka Boom Boom, has just undergone a reinvention (thankfully not another 20-year fast forward).
The first episode of the revamped show, which aired last week (Monday, 17 November), has seen the exit of most of the old cast. While Sanju and co are gone, star of the show ‘the magic pencil’ is still there with a new set of kids, including an alien kid ‘Shaan’.
Although the target audience remains the 4-14 one, it is a crucial audience as it forms 25 per cent of the viewing junta, which normally plays a great role in consumerist trends (read pester power).
Was there a need for revamp, were the ratings plummeting? UTV director Zarina Mehta retorts, “You need to reinvent constantly to maintain the freshness of the show. Plus with the original cast having all grown up, there was a fear that the target audience might not gel well with them. We have till now farmed out the story till April 2004, while scripting till January is already done. The ratings were not going down in fact we have seen a steady 4. TRPs for the first edition. Even the latest edition has got SLBB into top 50 in C&S homes”
Just like the last series, this time on the channel has signed a host of new child artiste barring one – Hansika Motwani, who plays 12-year old tomboy Shona. The story is about Shona and her four rich orphaned siblings who constitute the Malhotra kids, and their fight to survive the evil designs of their maternal uncle and wife and bad boy cousin.
With a typical Cinderella story in place, the story needed a fairy god mother. In came alien kid Shaan, the owner of magic pencil to help them solve their problems and get back at Kaartik and his evil parents.
Will the magic work with kids? “Although technically our audience is 4-14, we aim our show at 12-year-olds, who want to believe in magic,” offers Mehta.
MERCHANDISING: Encouraged by the response to the last years merchandising initiative of of SLBB pencils, where Star Plus’ designed pencil boxes, timetable etc, and distributed them amongst the school kids, something on similar lines is under discussion. Mehta indicated that the channel might even plan to venture into SLBB merchandise for commercial purposes.
The merchandise and the revamp aside, UTV is planning to get a few successful characters from other shows and popular figures for guest appearances.
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
