News Broadcasting
Santa, are you listening?
It’s the season to be jolly. It’s that time of the year when children are told to be on their best behaviour so that Santa Claus showers them with candy, toys and gifts the night before Christmas. However, it isn’t just kids who are busy making merry and wishing that the portly old man with the white beard brings them a sack full of goodies. Grown-ups across ages continue to believe in the sanctity of Father Christmas. A day before Christmas eve, indiantelevision.com asked people associated with the film, television and cable industry what they would most wish for from Santa. Read on to know what they said…
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This Christmas, I would like Santa to gift me a regulation, which will ensure that all government – both state and central – levies are removed. Also, I would like that post digitisation, the revenue share for broadcasters, multi-system operators and local cable operators should be 1/3rd each. Shaji Mathews, COO, GTPL, Hathway |
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I would like carriage fees to be wiped out, subscription revenues to be as per world norms and till such time as that doesn’t happen, for there to be no ad cap. Narayan Rao, executive vice chairperson NDTV and president NBA |
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We want Santa to bring reduction of taxes by the government which currently range between 35 and 40 per cent (note: exemption of Entertainment Tax). Anil Khera, CEO, Videocon D2H |
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This Christmas, I would like clients to use a lot more of video conferencing facilities to enable less travel, more productivity and less fuel usage. As an industry, we need to look at options which not only help us but the world as a whole too. Nandini Dias, CEO, Lodestar UM |
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I want Santa to come with a magic wand this Christmas with a click of which, the marketing of my films is taken care of! I want to concentrate on making good content and don’t want to bother about how the content will reach its buyers/target audience. Santa sir, we are creative souls and not bankers/financiers who have to keep bothering about marketing cost more than telling our stories – please kuchh karo. Yusuf Shaikh, head – distribution, acquisition and IPR management, Percept Picture Company, Percept Limited |
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Rajinikanth once said, ‘If I say it once, I have said it a million times’. So, if I take care of one wish, it will take care of million wishes. I want Santa to be there with me every single day and not once a year. If he will be with me 365 days, he will give me gifts every single day. Divya Radhakrishnan, managing director, Helios Media |
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Christmas is a time to party. I have two wishes from Santa this year, one on a professional level which is that Santa should give some sanity to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), so that they can force the multi-system operators to introduce packaging and complete the process of digital addressability. Also, I would want Santa to gift me tickets to Disneyland, so that I can take my five-year-old daughter there. Sudhish Kumar, executive director , Sagar E Tachnologies |
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I would like better rates from advertisers and inventory from TRAI. Ashok Venkatramani, CEO, MCCS |
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Too many cases of people in the industry engaging in unfair means. Those who indulge in piracy are not nice. Santa should take them to the North Pole and bury them in ice! So be Good and may Santa visit everyone with good fortune, health and happiness…! Pankaj Krishna, founder and CEO, Chrome Data Analytics & Media |
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I wish Santa could give me some professionals at the top level to help upgrade Doordarshan. Jawhar Sircar, CEO, Prasar Bharati |
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
