News Broadcasting
Mirror Now turns One
Mumbai: Mirror Now, a channel that fights for you and channelizes its focus on issues that impact you every day, celebrates its first anniversary. Following the launch last year, Mirror Now has successfully attained No. 3* position in Mega cities and increased its reach and viewership by 93%* and 137%* respectively.
Fiercely pursuing pertinent issues and creating desired impact, Mirror Now raised the bar in the English news genre highlighting women’s safety issues in Delhi, the dangers of childlock in radio taxis, questioning the rationale behind the frequent fuel price hikes, the Rs. 400 crores rice scam in Karnataka that exposed corruption and the relentless stand against Pahlaj Nihalani’s regressive decisions as CBFC Chief, amongst many others.
MK Anand, MD & CEO, Times Network, said, “I am glad we acted on our instinct and conviction in giving life to this platform. Almost all English News channels were pursuing a somewhat similar worldview and strategy, mostly imitating the leader Times Now, in pursuing a Nation First approach. This had left the space open for a voice that speaks for the citizen and her everyday issues. Mirror Now made a departure and puts Indians (You) First and shines the spotlight on matters closer to the individual. It’s our mission to contribute in improving Urban Indian life and push services and conditions closer to global standards which we believe hard working Indians deserve. We are glad that we have been able to create strong resonance with our viewers in such a short time and believe that Mirror Now will be a worthy partner to Times Now and together rule the English News market as the top 2 players.”
Faye D’Souza, Executive Editor – Mirror Now added, “It’s been a great one year at Mirror Now. The aim with every show is to focus on the issues faced by citizens, to decentralize news from the National capital Delhi and to turn the spotlight on the rest of India and this outlook has been successful. We are looking forward to bringing to the fore many more issues that are important to our audience. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our viewers for their continuous support.”
With its primetime show ‘The Urban Debate’ hosted by Faye D’Souza, Mirror Now has made dedicated efforts to bring credibility back to journalism, with focus on making everyday life better for Indians. On its first anniversary, Mirror Now has announced a consumer initiative #YouFirst where citizens will get an opportunity to be on the panel of the primetime show, ‘The Urban Debate’ to demand the answers they seek. Viewers have to use the #YouFirst and send a video voicing their issues or a topic that they would like to discuss on the flagship show, ‘The Urban Debate’ via the Mirror Now Whatsapp number 829-199-5633 or social handles (Facebook: @mirrornow, Twitter: @mirrornow, Instagram: @MirrorNow_in). The channel will select issues and call the consumer who have voiced the issues to be a part of the panel on viewer special episodes.
By being the voice of India’s everyday issues like crime, corruption, women’s safety, traffic woes and civic issues such as cleanliness, health, environment, power, water, etc., Mirror Now has been disruptive in more ways than one. The channel has launched a series on on-ground and digital led consumer engagement properties like TicTalkwithFaye, ‘Young India Debates’ and ‘Verified’ that were all designed to provide an open platform for citizens to voice their opinion and help them be a part of the change they want to see. The channel has also successfully taken its online strategy of being the voice of India offline as well.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 rolls out Battle for the States ahead of key polls
Multi-format election coverage tracks voter mood across five battleground states
NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has launched a special election programming initiative titled Battle for the States, as India gears up for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Built around the theme ‘Road to Power’, the multi-format coverage aims to follow the entire electoral journey, from campaigning and polling to results and government formation. The network is leaning into on-ground reportage and data-backed storytelling to decode voter sentiment across regions where local issues often shape the narrative.
The programming line-up includes ‘Vote Tracker’, a three-part series developed in collaboration with survey agency Vote Vibe. The show blends survey insights with expert commentary and field reporting, using augmented reality graphics to present complex electoral data such as vote share, seat projections and leadership preferences in a more accessible format. It will air every Monday evening until April 6.
Adding a cultural lens to political reporting is ‘So Saree!’, a ground-driven segment where women anchors travel across constituencies dressed in traditional handwoven sarees from each state. The format uses attire as a storytelling device, highlighting regional identity while capturing grassroots voices.
Meanwhile, ‘Unfiltered Kaapi’ and ‘Chai-Niti’ bring a more conversational tone, drawing inspiration from everyday political discussions in tea stalls and coffee corners. These segments aim to break down key issues through candid, fast-paced exchanges between anchors and reporters, tailored to regional sensibilities.
For viewers seeking deeper insights, the weekend docuseries ‘Reporters Project’ takes a longer view, with correspondents travelling across constituencies to map voter concerns and political shifts on the ground.
“Elections are about people, their aspirations, identities and the issues that matter to them, and every state tells a different story,” said CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar. He added that the initiative focuses on understanding “the sentiment on the ground and what’s driving voter choices”.
Echoing the emphasis on credibility, Network18 CEO – English and business news Smriti Mehra said the network aims to combine on-ground reporting with data-led insights to deliver clear and timely coverage as the elections unfold.
With a mix of data, culture and grassroots reporting, CNN-News18 is positioning Battle for the States as a comprehensive window into one of India’s most closely watched electoral cycles, where every vote carries a story waiting to be told.
