News Broadcasting
News18 India Unveils Two New Shows- “Ye Desh Hai Humara” and “Akhada”
MUMBAI: Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in 5 states including MP & Rajasthan and general elections next year, News18 India has launched two new shows – Ye Desh Hai Humara and Akhada. Anchored by Amish Devgan, and Anand Narasimhan, respectively, the new shows are aimed at further strengthening the channel’s programming line-up to raise and address critical issues in the election season.
Ye Desh Hai Humara (Every Sunday at 5:45 PM) is a weekend audience-based debate show anchored by Amish Devgan. The show, at its core, is a fierce contest between two ideologies. It seeks viewpoints of the political leaders on the burning issues for the benefit of the society and the nation. The show also offers an opportunity for the viewers to voice their opinions & concerns.
Akhada (Monday to Friday at 12:45 PM), a news bulletin, kicks off the weekday afternoon primetime on the channel. Through the show, Anand not only covers top stories of the day from across the country, but also presents a face-off between the relevant political parties on key issues.
Breaking away from the clichéd formats, the new shows are designed for enhanced viewer engagement that raise issues important to the society. While Amish Devgan, one of the most popular names in Hindi journalism, does not shy away from taking positions on matters that impact the viewers directly; Anand Narasimhan, a seasoned journalist with over a decade of experience, brings a fresh approach to news telling in his inimitable style.
Talking about the new shows, Prabal Pratap Singh, Managing Editor, News18 India said, “At News18 India, it is our constant endeavor to provide constructive and unbiased news. The new shows are another great addition to our repertoire of a balanced yet innovative way of news presentation. Both Amish and Anand, in their unique way infuse vigour and momentum with engaging insights and spirited debates.”
News Broadcasting
Rajesh Sundaram joins NDTV Profit as senior editor, assignment
The 32-year newsroom veteran has launched channels on three continents and covered everything from 9/11 to South African television
MUMBAI: NDTV Profit has bolstered its newsroom with a hire who has done rather more than most. Rajesh Sundaram, a journalist with over three decades of editorial, managerial and consultative experience across India and international markets, joins as senior editor, assignment, tasked with sharpening the network’s newsgathering and real-time response.
Sundaram’s career reads like a tour of Indian media’s most formative moments. He began at Businessworld in 1994, moved to Zee News as bureau chief across Mumbai and Chennai, then joined NDTV in 2002 as part of its political bureau during a particularly febrile period in Indian politics. A stint as India correspondent for Al Jazeera International followed, where he covered key geopolitical developments and got his first serious taste of the global newsroom.
What sets Sundaram apart, however, is his serial channel-launching habit. At NewsX, he helped get the operation off the ground. At Headlines Today, part of the India Today Group, he served as editor. At News Nation, he helped launch the Hindi news channel and its digital ecosystem. He then crossed continents to lead the launch of ANN7 in South Africa as editor-in-chief, overseeing both television and digital. Back in India, he launched Tamil news channels News7 Tamil and Cauvery News, and later served as principal consultant for the launch of Marathi channel Lokshahi. Most recently, he helped build and lead the Press Trust of India’s video service and content studio, before stints consulting for Business Today and The Himalayan Times.
Rahul Kanwal, chief executive and editor-in-chief of NDTV, left little doubt about what Sundaram is expected to deliver. “The assignment desk is where a newsroom’s intent becomes action,” he said. “Rajesh brings a rare combination of field experience and leadership in building news operations at scale.”
Sundaram has reported from across India and the world, covering elections, civil conflicts, the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the 2008 US presidential election.
At NDTV Profit, he will lead the assignment desk, driving editorial coordination and real-time response across markets and breaking developments. For a business news network sharpening its focus on speed and multi-platform delivery, it has hired a man who has built newsrooms from scratch on three continents. The assignment desk is in good hands.
