| Headquarters | Mumbai, India |
|---|---|
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | The Times Group (Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.) |
Times Now is a 24-hour English news channel based in Mumbai and broadcast in India, Singapore and USA. Arnab Goswami is the Editor-in Chief and Sunil Lulla is the current CEO. It was the first news channel in India to be launched on mobile screens (Reliance Infocomm Network). The channel also has a Consultant cum Strategic Affairs Expert, Maroof Raza. He apart from his appearances on news debates, has anchored and presented a 20-part series on the Indian armed forces, titled ‘Line of Duty’. An episode from this series, on the Siachin Glacier won an Award in the military documentary section at the Film Festival in Rome in 2005. This TV series has entered the “Limca Book of Records” as India’s first military reality show.[1] [2]
The channel was launched in 2006 by Times Global Broadcasing Company Limited, a joint-venture of The Times Group (Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.) and Reuters. Sunil Lulla was hired from the Sony Entertainment Television to be the CEO. In 2008, Reuters exited the venture by selling back its 25.82 percent stake in Times Global to BCCL.[3]
Arnab Goswami is the Editor-in-Chief and News anchor of Times Now.[4]
Mahrukh Inayet is the news editor of Times Now. Although she had been a journalist for many years, she came into prominence for her unbiased and sensitive coverage of the Taj hotel attacks during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Born in the Kashmir Valley, as a result of which Times Now is one of the first channels which covers this Indian state extensively. Mahrukh has also helped increase the awareness of the environment among young Kashmiris.
Maroof Raza is consultant and strategic affairs expert on Times Now.[5]
Exchange4media formulated these awards in 2008 with the objective of recognizing the best in Television news, to reward broadcasters and industry leaders who are responsible for shaping the future of Television Broadcasting in India.[6]
Times Now along with the other Times group channels (Zoom, ET Now and Movies Now) is distributed by Media Network and Distribution (India) Ltd (MNDIL), which is a joint venture between The Times group and Yogesh Radhakrishnan, a cable & satellite industry veteran, under the brand Prime Connect.[9]
The channel was censured by the News Broadcasters Association by an order dated 19.10.11 for its telecast on May 20th, 2011 described as a debate show titled "Will Kanimozhi turn approver?". According to the Authority, "the debate on the issue and, especially the stress by the anchor, on a particular point of view was unwarranted and did not amount to neutral and balanced reporting of any Court proceedings". The Authority further observed that "the debate on the issue and especially the manner in which it was conducted by the anchor (the Editor-in-Chief of the said channel), violated both the letter and the spirit of Guidelines 3 & 4 of the Specific Guidelines for reporting court proceedings.[10]