News Broadcasting
Vatican drama has viewers hooked to TV news stations
MUMBAI: The death of Pope John Paul II and the election of Pope Benedict XVI seems to have done wonders on the ratings front for television.
During the seven days following the Pope’s death, according to Nielsen Media Research, CNN saw its daytime ratings jump about 40 per cent vis-à-vis March 2005, while MSNBC’s viewership was up by about 30 per cent.
Coming to the new Pope’s induction, although official ratings are not yet out, agency reports stated that news channel heads were very upbeat about the viewing news numbers.
News channel executives are also very disheartened that the selection of the new Pope was completed so quickly.
There is no doubt that for news organisations, the benefit of a big news story like this is often more ethereal than financial considering advertisers buy commercial time much in advance.
But stories like this one, gives news units a chance to showcase competitive advantage and add to their image equity.
News channels as a practice spend millions to prepare for events like these in advance. For instance, NBC News had their infrastructure near the Vatican in place for years, in case something happened to the Pope in a sudden turn of events.
Stories like these don’t come often and news broadcaster are expected to cover cover stories like these intensively and hence there is a cost associated with that.
Apart for broadcasters benefiting, news websites reportedly also received considerable surge of hits when Pope Benedict was announced. Streaming videos of the coverage was also in demand and an estimated 100,000 streams was delivered.
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.
