Turner partners TV18 for a English news channel, CNN-IBN

There’s more news from the TV18 Group’s stable. The Group’s Global Broadcast News (GBN) has tied up with Turner International to launch a 24-hour, English general news channel in India. The channel will be called CNN-IBN.

Rajdeep Sardesai will be the editor-in-chief for the new channel. CNN-IBN will leverage TV18's experience in the news genre and infrastructure in India, in addition to CNN’s eminent and extensive global news network.

GBN’s had planned to launch a news channel India Broadcast News (IBN), but following this tie-up, the new channel will be co-branded as CNN-IBN. The channels will have access to CNN’s live breaking news as well as key feature programmes. This alliance will enable Indian viewers to view local news as well as relevant global news from CNN on the same platform.

The new channel will focus on providing robust and high quality news from every corner of India with a complete commitment to the needs and aspirations of the Indian viewer, while CNN International will continue to deliver global news to Indian viewers.

As per an official communiqué, Sardesai remarks, “The news channel is built on the age-old ethic that editorial sovereignty is inviolable – and this shall be a cornerstone of GBN’s partnership with CNN. CNN-IBN will be a journalist-driven channel rooted in the realities of modern India. With nationwide news gathering capabilities, superior journalistic talent, and a passion for news, the new service will endeavour to get the news first and direct from the ground. In a fast-globalising India, access to CNN's global news network will add immense value for our audiences.”

“This service will complement CNN International’s global news offering and marks another milestone in CNN's efforts to move closer to its audience though local partnerships. The coupling of CNN's global resources and GBN’S local expertise will take news broadcasting in India to a whole new level,” adds Chris Cramer, managing director, CNN International.

Anshuman Misra, managing director, Turner International India says that the alliance is the first of its kind for CNN and Turner in the Asia Pacific. “The service will leverage the combined international and local journalistic expertise of each partner to provide Indian news viewers unparalleled coverage of global and local events as they unfold, from an Indian perspective,” he adds.

Headquartered in New Delhi, the channel will be supported by over 20 bureaus nationwide, along with a team of experienced newspersons and production staff, backed by TV18’s state-of-the-art broadcast infrastructure and newsgathering technology.

GBN, a TV18 Group Company, is a 74:26 joint venture between the TV18 Group and professionals – Rajdeep Sardesai, Sameer Manchanda and Haresh Chawla.

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