ITV

Category: News Broadcasting

  • Senior TV journalist Marya Shakil exits NDTV

    Senior TV journalist Marya Shakil exits NDTV

    MUMBAI: Senior news anchor and executive editor (National Affairs) Marya Shakil has bid adieu to NDTV. The network confirmed the development exclusively.

    Known for her powerful presentation, commanding voice, and distinctive anchoring style, Shakil had joined NDTV 24×7 in August 2023 as Executive Editor (National Affairs). At the time, the move was seen as a significant new chapter in her illustrious journalism career.

    Before her NDTV stint, Shakil spent nearly 18 years with CNN-News18, where she served as Senior Political Editor and Special Bureau Chief. Starting her career with the channel in 2005, she covered some of the country’s biggest political events from the frontlines and conducted exclusive interviews with several top political leaders.

    Her work has earned her numerous accolades, including the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Her show NewsEpicentre has also bagged multiple honours . In 2016, she was awarded the Chevening South Asia Journalism Fellowship.

    Originally from Bihar, Shakil holds a postgraduate degree in Mass Communication from Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi.

  • Wion marks Independence Day with global showcase of India’s spirit

    Wion marks Independence Day with global showcase of India’s spirit

    MUMBAI: International news channel Wion will mark India’s seventy ninth  Independence Day with a day-long line-up capturing the country’s past, present and global ambitions, broadcasting to audiences in 190 countries.

    Coverage begins at 7:00am with the Red Fort flag hoisting and prime minister’s address, followed at 10:30am by India’s Women-Powered Forces, profiling women officers and military wives whose service and resilience have strengthened the armed forces. At 11:30am, Tech at 79 charts the nation’s rise from independence to innovation powerhouse, covering Isro milestones, indigenous defence technology and Indian-origin tech leaders abroad.

    Climate Tracker at 12:30pm spotlights the International Solar Alliance and India’s renewable-energy leadership. Afternoon programming includes Best Speeches (1:30pm), revisiting prime ministerial Independence Day addresses from 2014 to 2024; Wion Wings (2:30pm), a tour of engineering marvels, wildlife reserves and museums; and E-Club – I-Day Special (3:30pm), exploring cinema’s role in shaping national consciousness. 

    The women-in-defence feature repeats at 4:30pm, while the #HarGharTiranga campaign airs in select bulletins.

    “Independence Day is a declaration of the future we are determined to build,” said Wion managing editor Rabin Sharma. “This line-up is our tribute to the living spirit of the nation — when courage fuels innovation and unity guides our path, India’s possibilities are limitless.”

    Wion says the programming underscores its mission to tell impactful stories with a global perspective, reflecting both the country’s diversity and its ambitions on the world stage.

  • Live Times launches Point Blank, Deepak Chaurasia’s no-holds-barred interview series

    Live Times launches Point Blank, Deepak Chaurasia’s no-holds-barred interview series

    MUMBAI: Live Times, India’s first global multicast news hub, has unveiled Point Blank, a hard-hitting interview series fronted by veteran journalist Deepak Chaurasia. The weekly programme promises unscripted, straight-to-the-point exchanges with newsmakers—dispensing with rehearsed answers and demanding clear, accountable responses.

    “In an era of predictable talking points, Point Blank is built to challenge every claim and cut through the noise,” said Live Times news director Deepak Chaurasia.  Founder Dilip Singh added that the show reflects the channel’s belief that “truth belongs to the people” and must be freed from spin and hidden agendas.

    Recent episodes have already delivered political candour. Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnudeo Sai outlined a tough new anti-conversion law, claiming it would preserve social harmony and declaring the “backbone of Naxalism” broken. Union minister Chirag Paswan spoke openly about his ‘Bihar First, Bihari First’ vision, admitting past missteps and offering a rare, personal glimpse beyond his public image.

    With its blend of fearless questioning, rigorous fact-checking and zero tolerance for evasion, Point Blank aims to be one of Live Times’ defining programmes. The channel says it will continue to hold the powerful to account and ensure public discourse is driven by facts, not rhetoric.

    Point Blank airs exclusively on Live Times across DD Free Dish (100), Tata Play (539), Airtel Digital TV (385), Dish TV (665), Sikka Cable (519) and Jio TV (3069), and streams via Tata Play Mobile, Airtel Xstream, Dish TV Watcho, DD Waves and www.livetimes.news.

  • Odisha takes centre stage as Rising Odisha 2025 sparks big ideas

    Odisha takes centre stage as Rising Odisha 2025 sparks big ideas

    MUMBAI: Odisha’s growth story is set to get the red-carpet treatment and the hot seat as Rising Odisha 2025 returns on 19 August, promising an evening of high-voltage ideas, debate, and vision-building. From 4 pm onwards, News18 Odia’s flagship leadership conclave will transform into a powerhouse of conversation, putting the state’s progress and challenges under the spotlight.

    Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi will lead the charge as chief guest and Keynote Speaker, setting the tone for discussions on governance, economic growth, tourism, exports, skill development, sports, and cultural heritage. Joining him are deputy chief ministers K.V. Singh Deo helming Agriculture, Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy and Pravati Parida, Odisha’s first woman Dy CM, who oversees women and child development, Mission Shakti, and Tourism.

    The evening will pack in exclusive interviews with Sampad Chandra Swain (Industries, Skill Development & Technical Education) and Suresh Pujari (Revenue & Disaster Management), alongside in-depth conversations with Suryavanshi Suraj (Higher Education, Sports & Youth Services, Odia Language & Culture) and Odia cinema icon-turned-politician Anubhav Mohanty.

    Political fireworks are guaranteed with a three-way debate featuring BJP’s Manmohan Samal, Congress’ Bhakta Charan Das, and BJD’s Debi Prasad Mishra, each pitching their roadmap for Odisha’s future.

    And in a nod to the state’s buzzing online culture, digital heavyweights Natia Comedy, Krishna, and Nitiana will join a panel to decode youth engagement, viral trends, and the evolving influence of social media.

    For those who can’t be in the room, the action unfolds live on News18 Odia from 4 PM, a front-row ticket to the ideas shaping tomorrow’s Odisha.
     

  • News18 Tamil Nadu hits pause on ads for break-free morning prime time

    News18 Tamil Nadu hits pause on ads for break-free morning prime time

    MUMBAI:  Who needs a coffee break when the news won’t take one? News18 Tamil Nadu is hitting the fast lane in the morning rush, going completely ad-free from 7:00 am to 10:00 am no interruptions, no distractions, just pure, back-to-back headlines. The move is a viewer-first experiment in prime-time engagement, ensuring that audiences stay glued to the day’s most impactful stories without the lure (or annoyance) of a break. It’s also a shrewd play for advertisers: the first spots aired after this three-hour break-free stretch land at the perfect moment, when viewer attention is at its sharpest, promising premium impact and brand recall.

    For brands, it’s a golden window uninterrupted audience flow, peak attention levels, and the halo of being seen alongside serious, high-focus news. The channel says the initiative not only keeps viewers hooked but also strengthens credibility and trust for advertisers riding the post-prime wave.

    But the innovation doesn’t stop there. News18 Tamil Nadu has been pushing boundaries with Disco with KS, a weekly podcast hosted by editor Karthigaichelvan. It’s the first of its kind for any Tamil news channel, blending sharp interviews with bureaucrats, industry leaders, and young achievers. Each episode racks up over 1 lakh views, with 10 plus snackable clips per episode routinely going viral reaching more than 3 million social media views, with a notable 25 per cent coming from the Tamil diaspora.

    Another highlight is Decode – The World Unfiltered, breaking down complex national and global events into crystal-clear context. Together, these offerings are turning the channel into more than just a news source, it’s becoming a daily habit for Tamil audiences across the globe.

    Come morning, whether it’s hard news, deep dives, or viral interviews, News18 Tamil Nadu wants you in without cutting away for anything else.
     

  • NDTV hires Aajtak veteran Sameer Anand

    NDTV hires Aajtak veteran Sameer Anand

    MUMBAI: NDTV has recruited  a senior advertising executive from rival broadcaster TV Today, as India’s news channels scramble for talent in an increasingly competitive market.

    Sameer Anand, who spent four and a half years climbing the ranks at TV Today’s Hindi news channel Aajtak, has joined NDTV as assistant vice president. The move comes as broadcasters battle for advertising revenues in a market where every rupee counts.

    Anand’s hire is a coup for NDTV Arena, the broadcaster’s sports arm. At Aajtak, he rose from assistant general manager to deputy general manager of ad sales, handling key corporate accounts that included blue-chip clients such as Maruti Suzuki, LG, Samsung and Panasonic during his earlier stint at Red FM.

    The executive’s career spans nearly two decades across India’s media landscape, including stints at Zee Entertainment Enterprises and radio broadcaster Red FM, where he cut his teeth managing corporate sales for 13 years.

    His appointment signals NDTV’s intent to bolster its commercial operations as Indian news channels face pressure from digital platforms and changing viewer habits. The broadcaster, which has weathered regulatory storms and ownership changes, is keen to strengthen its advertising revenues through experienced hands.

    The hire also reflects the musical chairs nature of India’s media industry, where seasoned sales executives command premium salaries as channels vie for market share in a fragmented landscape.

  • Mumbai seat battle heats up as CNN-News18 Town Hall hits the city

    Mumbai seat battle heats up as CNN-News18 Town Hall hits the city

    MUMBAI: When Mumbai talks politics, it doesn’t whisper, it shouts over traffic, cuts through the monsoon, and spills into cinema halls. On 13 August 2025, CNN-News18 Town Hall plants itself right in the middle of this noise with its Mumbai edition, themed “Ballot, BMC, and the Battle for Mumbai”. The agenda? Put the city’s future in the spotlight just weeks before the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the first in eight years.

    Fresh from its Defence Edition, the Town Hall returns with a mix of political heavyweights, millennial ministers, and a hindi movie hitmaker. The line-up reads like Mumbai’s own blockbuster bill: Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister, will spar over civic priorities; Eknath Shinde, deputy CM, headlines “The Undisputed Sena-pati”; Aaditya Thackeray tackles whether Mumbai’s future is “regional” or global; and cabinet millennials Aditi Tatkare, Nitesh Rane, and Yogesh Kadam step up for “The Millennial Ministers” panel.

    And because Mumbai is never far from a film reel, filmmaker Mohit Suri will bring a cinematic interlude, delving into “Love, Loss and Legacy” after his latest success. Expect politics and pop culture to collide as only Mumbai can manage.

    “This edition is more relevant than ever,” says CNN-News18 managing editor Zakka Jacob. “With the upcoming BMC elections, these conversations are crucial for shaping the city’s vision.” CEO Smriti Mehra calls it a continuation of the channel’s mission to spotlight local concerns while sparking national conversations fitting for a network that’s been India’s No. 1 English news channel for over 3 years.

    The event will broadcast live from 4 pm on CNN-News18 and stream on its Youtube channel, inviting citizens to join in from home. But for Mumbai’s political stage, the message is clear: the curtain’s up, the lights are on, and the city’s future is up for debate.
     

  • CNN-News18 rules prime time with 72.5 per cent market share lead

    CNN-News18 rules prime time with 72.5 per cent market share lead

    MUMBAI: When the nation tunes in, it’s clear who’s holding the mic. CNN-News18 has tightened its grip on the English news throne, bagging a staggering 72.5 per cent market share during peak news hours, a figure bigger than all its competitors combined.

    According to BARC data (Mkt: 10L+ | TG: 22–40 Male | Wk 27–30’25, 19:00–24:00 Hrs), Times Now managed 17.9 per cent, NDTV 24×7 clocked 7.4 per cent, Republic TV scraped 1.5 per cent, and India Today Television trailed with just 0.7 per cent. The result? A prime-time rout that leaves no doubt who’s setting the national news agenda.

    The dominance isn’t just in the evening spotlight. CNN-News18’s overall share in the English news genre remains formidable 60 per cent ahead of Times Now and a jaw-dropping 102 per cent ahead of NDTV (Source: BARC India | All India (U+R) 15+ | AVG Week 30’25). The channel has held its No. 1 spot for over three years, a testament to its mix of accuracy, clarity, and a citizen-first approach.

    Recent upgrades from a cleaner, more visual-heavy design to tighter storytelling have only sharpened its edge. With top anchors like Zakka Jacob, Anand Narasimhan, Rahul Shivshankar, and Shivani Gupta, plus a robust nationwide reporting network, CNN-News18 delivers not just breaking headlines but context-rich coverage with data-driven explainers.

    By blending editorial heft with tech innovation, the channel is making sure that when the story matters, India knows exactly where to turn and in peak hours, it’s turning to CNN-News18 in overwhelming numbers.

  • Meghashrey Foundation honours Navika Kumar with Sarvottam Nagrik Sanman 2025

    Meghashrey Foundation honours Navika Kumar with Sarvottam Nagrik Sanman 2025

    MUMBAI: Navika Kumar, group editor-in-chief, Times Now & Times Now Navbharat, has been conferred with the Sarvottam Nagrik Sanman 2025, one of India’s most prestigious civilian honors, presented by Meghashrey Foundation. The award recognises her exceptional contribution to Indian journalism and her unwavering commitment to truth, integrity, and nation-building. Her fearless reporting, sharp political analysis, and leadership have helped shape informed public discourse across the nation.

    The Sarvottam Nagrik Sanman celebrates individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Indian society in fields such as social work, science, education, medicine, arts, and public life. This year’s ceremony was graced by Hon’ble Union Cabinet Minister for Culture, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Hon’ble Cabinet Minister of Maharashtra for Culture, Shri Ashish Shelar, and held at Hotel Sahara Star, Mumbai.

    Other awardees included an illustrious list of changemakers and national icons, including, Padma Vibhushan Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Padma Bhushan Vijay Bhatkar, Padma Shri Dr. Shankar Mahadevan, filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, Padma Shri Kumar Sanu, Padma Shri Raveena Tandon, Luke Coutinho amongst others.

  • News18 calls the shots as it headlines Hindi and English viewership

    News18 calls the shots as it headlines Hindi and English viewership

    MUMBAI: The ratings are in and News18 isn’t just reading the headlines, it’s writing them. With the latest BARC data painting a clear picture, the News18 Network has reinforced its dominance in both English and Hindi news broadcasting, leaving its rivals flipping through the pages.

    CNN-News18 retained its crown as the Number 1 English news channel, capturing a commanding 35.7 per cent market share, well ahead of Times Now (22.4 per cent) and NDTV 24×7 (17.7 per cent). That’s a 60 per cent lead over Times Now, and a staggering 102 per cent lead over NDTV, according to BARC India (Week 30’25, All India, 15 plus).

    Fronted by a strong editorial team that includes Zakka Jacob, Anand Narasimhan, Rahul Shivshankar and Shivani Gupta, CNN-News18 has held onto its pole position ever since BARC ratings resumed in March 2022.

    Not to be outdone, News18 India ruled the roost in Hindi news with a powerful 74,444 AMA’000s, outpacing Aaj Tak’s 67,957 AMA’000s (BARC | Week 27–30’25 | HSM | 15plus | 24×7). With trusted faces like Kishore Ajwani, Amish Devgan, Rubika Liyaquat, Prateek Trivedi, and Aman Chopra, News18 India continues to be the nation’s go-to source for breaking news, sharp debates, and hard-hitting reports.

    The network’s leadership isn’t confined to television either. News18’s digital footprint is growing steadily, with Youtube views and social media traction providing a second wind to its broadcast muscle.

    Behind the ratings blitz is a clear strategic push. News18 has ramped up investments in technology, editorial staffing, and international partnerships to ensure it stays not just first with the news but first in the hearts (and remotes) of viewers.

    In an age of news clutter, News18 Network seems to have cracked the code: clarity, credibility, and countrywide reach.