News Broadcasting
News18 celebrates Hindi Diwas with special show
MUMBAI: It’s getting poetic on the occasion of Hindi Diwas that is celebrated nationally on 14 September annually. Hindi news channel News18 is quite kicked up about presenting a special show Mujhe Chaand Chahiye at 6 pm on 9 and 10 September which commemorates the Hindi language propagation occasion.
The format of the programme is a Hasya Kavi Sammelan and it will feature famous poet Gopaldas Neeraj along with some renowned Hindi journalists, Hindi literate and poets like Kumar Vishwas, Navneet Hullad Moradabadi, Waheed Naqvi, Shambhu Shikhar, Anamika Amber Jain, Ramkripal Singh and Sheshnarayan Singh.
Mujhe Chaand Chahiye will be dedicated to Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee Gopaldas Neeraj, who has not only contributed to Hindi as a language but has also written several poems and songs, which have been used in famous Hindi movies.
The bards will also recite satirical verses on the plight of Hindi language.
Apart from this, to enlarge the celebration of Hindi Diwas, News18 India is launching an initiative to bring back the use of Chandra Bindu in relevant Hindi words from 14 September. This practice has been abandoned these days.
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.
