News Broadcasting
Viacom’s Sumner Redstone is Media Person of the Year at Cannes Lions
Viacom chairman and CEO Sumner M Redstone will receive the Media Person of the Year Award at this year’s Cannes Lions Festival. The trophy will be presented to Redstone during the Press, Outdoor and Media Lions Awards Ceremony on 18 June.
Redstone is being recognised for establishing Viacom as one of the world’s premier entertainment and media companies. Viacom is also the planet’s largest platform for advertising, holding commanding positions in broadcasting and cable television, radio broadcasting and outdoor advertising media.
Viacom is the only media company to own two US broadcast networks, CBS and UPN; and manages a total of nine cable programming services, including the global youth brand MTV, which reaches 450 million homes around the world and children’s network Nickelodeon, with a reach of 225 million. As CEO since 1987, Redstone made it a leading global and diversified media company.
The 49th International Advertising Festival will be held from 16 to 22 June 2002 in Cannes, France with over 9,000 delegates from the advertising and allied industries in attendance to celebrate the creme de la creme of creativity in all major media, discuss industry issues and network with one another. Over 17,000 ads from all over the world are showcased at the Festival and a unique programme of high-profile seminars, organized by some of the biggest names in the industry, is also presented. Winning companies receive the highly coveted Lion awards, honoring the most creative TV/cinema, print, outdoor and online advertising, as well as the best media and direct marketing solutions.
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.
