News Broadcasting
Zee News goes free to air from 8 June
MUMBAI: ZEE NEWS known for delivering factual, credible and relevant content that fulfils the need and expectations of the viewers, takes pride in announcing that it is going FREE TO AIR on public demand with effect from Wednesday, June 8, 2016.
On this occasion, R K Arora, Executive Director and CEO, said ” Zee News’ mission has always been to nurture more informed and aware citizens, and hence we decided that Zee News will go Free To Air (FTA). This will aid Rural India to explore moments of optimism and become more informed, creating value and making a difference to their lives.”
“My innumerable interactions with people across India had revealed their urge to view Zee News even in remote locations, but were unable to afford a paid channel, says Sudhir Chaudhary, Editor, Zee News. “With Zee News going Free To Air, our constant endeavour to create news for public welfare will now finally also impact millions of lives in Rural India,” he signs off.
Moreover, with Zee Media crossing more than 150 million viewer mark in the recent past and also being declared as the No. 1 trusted Hindi News Channel (Source: The Brand Trust Report – India Study 2016 – study by TRA Research Pvt. Ltd.) going FTA will only give an impetus to the reach and popularity of Zee News and unlock the collaborative power of the news business, making a much greater collective impact.
Zee Media Corporation Limited (formerly Zee News Ltd.) is India’s one of the Largest News Network with 10 channels, Mumbai edition of DNA newspaper and digital properties like zeenews.com and dnaindia.com.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
