Times Now ropes in Zakka Jacob as managing editor; Navika Kumar to take up consulting editor role

NEW DELHI: In a high-profile newsroom reshuffle, Zakka Jacob is set to move from News18 to Times Now as managing editor, according to media reports. He is expected to assume the new role in April, marking a fresh chapter in a career that has long straddled the studio floor and the global affairs beat.

At CNN-News18, Jacob most recently served as senior anchor and group foreign affairs editor, a role he took up in December 2015. Over the years, he became a familiar face for viewers tracking international flashpoints and diplomatic crosscurrents. He had earlier served as managing editor at the channel before choosing to focus more closely on hands-on journalism and anchoring.

His move to Times Now signals a return to executive leadership, this time at a network known for its combative prime-time presence and political edge.

Meanwhile, Navika Kumar will step into the role of consulting editor. A seasoned political journalist and one of the prominent faces of Times Now, Kumar is known for her sharp interviews and high-voltage election coverage. Her elevation formalises a leadership position she has long appeared to occupy on screen.

Jacob’s career spans more than a decade across editorial and anchoring roles. He has served as managing editor and output editor at CNN-News18, and earlier worked as senior anchor at China Central Television. An engineering graduate from the University of Madras, he brings a methodical mind to the often chaotic theatre of television news.

With April on the horizon, the move sets the stage for a new newsroom equation, and perhaps a new tone at the top. In the world of television news, the faces may be familiar, but the script is always being rewritten.