News Broadcasting
News18 India’s Sau Baat Ki Ek Baat completes 10 years
Kishore Ajwani’s prime-time show marks a decade of news, analysis and viewer trust
MUMBAI: Ten years, countless headlines and one straight line of storytelling, Sau Baat Ki Ek Baat has reached a decade on air without losing sight of what brought viewers to it in the first place. News18 India’s prime-time news show, anchored by veteran journalist and Managing Editor Kishore Ajwani, has completed 10 years, marking a long run for a programme that built its identity around research-backed analysis, multiple perspectives and a direct presentation of the news.
The milestone comes as television news itself has changed dramatically over the past decade, with audience habits, formats and expectations evolving alongside the rise of digital consumption. Yet, Sau Baat Ki Ek Baat has retained its original proposition: keep the language clear, examine the story from different angles and allow viewers to make up their own minds.
What began as a straightforward effort to add context and analysis to the day’s news has since become one of News18 India’s recognisable properties. Its longevity, however, is less about simply surviving 10 years on television and more about maintaining a consistent relationship with its audience.
Ajwani said the show’s central decision when it began was to “trust the news and, in turn, trust the viewer”. He said the format had remained relevant because viewers continued to look for clarity, context and credibility even as the way they consume news changed.
For Jyoti Kamal, Managing Editor, News18 India, PH, Kadak, the 10-year milestone represents consistency in a business where audience attention and consumption patterns are constantly shifting. She said the show has built a distinctive identity by remaining rooted in journalism while adapting to viewers.
The programme’s appeal, she added, has also been shaped by Ajwani’s calm and distinctive storytelling style, with the focus remaining firmly on the news rather than the personality presenting it.
As Sau Baat Ki Ek Baat enters its second decade, its challenge is therefore not simply to keep the show going, but to maintain the trust that has carried it through its first 10 years. In a news cycle that rarely stops for breath, that may be the show’s most enduring headline.
