- Date:
- 1988 - present
- Areas Of Involvement:
- broadcasting
- television
NDTV
New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV) is an Indian news media company and publicly listed broadcaster controlled by Adani Group interests. It was established in 1988 by husband-wife team Prannoy (1949–) and Radhika Roy (1949–) during an era of rapid growth in Indian television resulting from the separation of television from All India Radio in 1976 and the advent of cable and satellite television in the late 1980s. Prannoy, who earned a doctorate from the Delhi School of Economics, is a notable television journalist. Radhika began her career in print journalism and switched over to television. Since its founding, NDTV has experienced phenomenal growth, with offices throughout the country. Some of the well-known television personalities associated with NDTV include Aunindyo Chakravarty, Devna Dwivedi, Manoranjan Bharati, Kamal Khan, Nidhi Kulpati, Naghma Sahar, Sikta Deo, Natasha Jog, and Namrata Brar.
Channels and Programming
In 2003, NDTV launched an English news channel, NDTV 24×7, broadcasting to a large Indian as well as overseas audience. According to nationwide surveys, NDTV 24×7 ranks among the highest of English news channels in terms of viewership. Barb Audiences Ltd. of Great Britain has placed the channel among the top Indian news broadcasts in that country. In other English-speaking countries, such as the United States, Australia, Singapore, and Canada, NDTV 24×7 can be viewed on various television platforms.
The channel broadcasts studio-based talk shows and public shows related to political affairs, anchored by senior journalists. For example, the immensely popular weekly debate show The Big Fight presents lively debates on controversial issues. We the People is a program of interaction between panelists and the studio audience, whereas The Buck Stops Here is a program with lively debates and discussion on various issues. Truth vs. Hype, anchored by Sreenivasan Jain, is a well-researched broadcast on contemporary issues.
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The 24-hour NDTV India (Hindi) channel, with its tagline Khabar Wahi Jo Sach Dikhaye (That is news which presents truth), is popular, likely due to its down-to-earth presentation. Some of its popular Hindi programs are Muqabla (Tussle), Hum Log (We people), and Badi Khabar (Big news). The program Gustakhi Maaf (Pardon Me) is a comedy program that pokes fun at political leaders in contemporary India.
NDTV has also operated business and infotainment channels under the NDTV Profit and NDTV Prime brands. The former channel broadcasts business-related content from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. It collaborates with the National Stock Exchange to inform viewers about the stock market. The latter broadcasts after 5 p.m. on weekends, providing viewers content on various subjects such as education, real estate, automobiles, entertainment, and technology. The program Power Lunch, hosted by the company’s financial journalists, informs viewers about the stock market and provides trading advice. Market trends are analyzed in the show Opening Fire. The one-hour program of Property Show, anchored by Manisha Natarajan, offers viewers content about real estate matters such as buying and selling property. The Car and Bike Show focuses on international events held in various cities, trends in the international automobile industry, and launches of new cars and bikes. The program, hosted by Siddharth Patankar, has remained popular among car and bike enthusiasts for more than a decade.
NDTV launched the lifestyle channel Good Times in 2007; it has been quite successful, especially with younger generations. Viewers are presented with lots of information pertaining to healthy living, fashion, cooking, tourism, and travel.
In its history, NDTV has entered into agreements with various companies such as BBC, Star India, Zee TV, NBCUniversal Inc., and Turner Asia Pacific Ventures, Inc. In 2010, NDTV signed an agreement with BEXIMCO Group of Bangladesh to assist it in news channel operations. After two years, three NDTV channels (NDTD 24×7, NDTV India, and NDTV Good Times) were introduced in Malaysia. NDTV has expanded internationally through carriage arrangements and digitally through NDTV Convergence, while also experimenting with non-news ventures such as e-commerce.
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Additional Activities
Apart from broadcasting news and hosting different programs for Indian as well as global audiences, NDTV has engaged in social activities. It has introduced short message service opinion polls and campaigns for viewers. For example, the Save Jessica Lal campaign of 2006 began after the acquittal of those accused of murdering model Jessica Lal. It ran special programs and requested viewers to petition the president of India. In 2011, its Greenathon campaign, which also had the support of several Bollywood stars, aimed to provide electricity in rural areas and to raise public consciousness about climate change. Since about 2014, NDTV, in collaboration with various companies, has successfully launched programs such as Support My School, Save Our Tigers, Marks for Sports, Fit India Movement, and Save India’s Coasts.
Controversies
Like many other large companies, NDTV is not free from controversy. In 1998, a case was filed by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation against NDTV and Doordarshan, the Indian public service broadcaster, for undue favor provided to the former by the latter. There were also allegations against the company in the Radia tapes controversy in 2010, in which leaked tapes of political lobbyist Nira Radia were published in various media outlets, and in the awarding of contracts to promote the Commonwealth Games in 2011. NDTV denied wrongdoing in these matters, and several proceedings were contested over time.
Although NDTV hosts special programs to commemorate important dates such as World Water Day (March 22), Earth Day (April 22), and Buddha Purnima or Vesak Day (various days), its forte is election coverage. In spite of its popularity, NDTV has been criticized by some right-wing groups as being a mouthpiece of parties such as the Indian National Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), but it is a popular channel among left-wing intellectuals and liberals.
Honors
In recognition of its service to the broadcasting industry, NDTV has received many awards and honors. It received the Asian Television Award in 1997 for its News Tonight program. Prannoy Roy had received the lifetime achievement recognition from Indian Telly Awards. In 2003, Ernst & Young declared Prannoy and Radhika Roy winners of the Entrepreneur of the Year award in the information, communications, and entertainment sector. In 2017, NDTV was awarded as the Best English News Channel of ENBA (exchange4media News Broadcasting Awards). NDTV has also sponsored awards, including Design and Architecture Awards 2017, Mercer NDTV Employer Excellence Awards 2017, NDTV Car and Bike Awards 2018, and NDTV Gadget Guru Awards 2017.
The original version of this article was published by SAGE Publications in The SAGE Encyclopedia of Journalism.