Marya Shakil, Political Editor and Senior Anchor at CNN-News18 has quit.

Highly placed sources have confirmed this development to e4m. 

Shakil is an award-winning journalist with over 17 years of experience. Her show on the Muslim yearning to be part of the mainstream earned her the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Award in politics and government category in 2012. She also received the award in the same category for her coverage of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Her show NewsEpicentre has won multiple ENBA awards. 

She joined CNN-News18 after completing her Masters in Mass Communication from Jamia Millia’s AJK Mass Communication Research Centre in 2005. She also won the Chevening South Asia Journalism Fellowship in 2016.

Shemaroo Entertainment Limited has joined with the Seven Network, one of Australia's leading media companies to launch Shemaroo Bollywood, the first-ever Bollywood F.A.S.T. (free ad-supported streaming TV) channel in Australia. This strategic collaboration marks Shemaroo's first venture with a major broadcaster in the region and sets the stage for an immersive Indian entertainment experience for Australian viewers. Shemaroo Bollywood will be available for free on Seven Network's streaming platform, 7plus+, providing seamless access to a vast library of iconic Indian/Bollywood movies.  

With a remarkable six-decade-old legacy and an unparalleled content repository, Shemaroo is all-set to entertain the large Indian diaspora present in Australia.  With Seven Network’s association, Shemaroo continues to establish its long-term and mutually beneficial relationships with renowned broadcasters across the globe. By venturing into key markets like Australia, Shemaroo aims to expand its reach and diversify its business portfolio and this latest venture demonstrates Shemaroo's commitment to realizing this vision.  

Bollywood's timeless songs, compelling storytelling and ability to portray diverse cultures have captivated audiences worldwide and across all age groups. The launch in Australia holds immense significance, particularly for the vibrant Indian diaspora in the country. The launch also coincides perfectly with the forthcoming finals of World Test Championship of Cricket where India and Australia will lock horns for the coveted trophy. As cricket enthusiasts anticipate this thrilling event, Shemaroo Bollywood will complement the excitement by offering captivating movies that showcase the rich tapestry of Indian culture.  

This first-of-its-kind association aims to forge a long-term and mutually profitable partnership between Shemaroo and the Seven Network, bolstering Shemaroo's consumer centric approach in key markets outside India. Shemaroo will harness Seven’s strong presence in broadcast television, publishing and digital platforms, while benefiting from Seven Network's dominance in TV and BVOD across Australia. Together, they aim to redefine entertainment experiences for audiences in Australia and beyond.  

Nishith Varshneya, Head of International Business & India Digital Syndication - Shemaroo, said, “At Shemaroo, we are constantly exploring new opportunities to showcase our vast library of Bollywood to audiences across the globe. Our collaboration with Seven Network to launch Shemaroo Bollywood in Australia is a significant step towards achieving this goal. We believe that Bollywood movies and songs have the power to connect varied cultures. With Seven Network's established presence and expertise in the Australia, we are confident that this partnership will enable us to reach a wider audience and provide them with a delightful entertainment experience. We are excited about the possibilities this collaboration holds and look forward to a successful journey together.”  

Seven West Media Chief Digital Officer, Gereurd Roberts, said: “Shemaroo Bollywood on 7plus symbolises Seven’s commitment to bring the most compelling, diverse and global content to

Australian audiences, for free. Through our unique collaboration with Shemaroo Entertainment, we are incredibly proud to introduce 7plus viewers to Australia’s first premium Hindi FAST channel and enrich 7plus with a colourful tapestry of captivating Indian cinema. Seven is Australia’s leader in FAST channels. So far in 2023 we have streamed over 250 million FAST channel minutes, up 195% on the same period last year,” he said.  

Shemaroo Entertainment's 60-year-old legacy, built on a foundation of delivering high-quality entertainment experiences, solidifies its position as a trusted industry leader. The launch of Shemaroo Bollywood in Australia is just one of the many exciting developments taking place worldwide as Shemaroo expands its global footprint.

Sreenivasan Jain, former Group Editor of NDTV, has joined Jindal School of Journalism and Communication as Faculty.

Speaking about the appointment, JGU’s founding Vice Chancellor Professor (Dr) C. Raj Kumar said, “Sreenivasan Jain is an outstanding journalist in the best traditions of the practice and his experience will enrich JSJC and JGU in many ways. He has spoken truth to power during his career as a journalist and his joining our university as a faculty member will instil confidence among the students in pursuing a career in journalism and public affairs on the edifice of ethics and integrity. The students of JSJC have had a unique experience of studying at an exciting school with an innovative and interdisciplinary curriculum in cinema, journalism and communication that offers a wide range of national and international opportunities.”

Commenting on his new role Sreenivasan Jain said, “In my three decades in TV news and journalism, one of the most rewarding aspects of the experience was the opportunity to work with and train younger entrants into our newsroom. I look forward to extending that experience in this new innings as a faculty member at the Jindal School of Journalism & Communication of O.P. Jindal Global University.”

Jain had been with the television channel since 1995. He  is the recipient of Journalist of the Year by the Ramnath Goenka Awards in 2014, by the Red Ink Awards in 2015, and anchor of the year at ENBA Awards, 2016.

News24 has appointed Mayur Aggarwal as Vice President, Sales.

As Vice President of Sales, Aggarwal will be responsible for leading the company's sales efforts, developing and executing effective sales strategies, and driving revenue growth. With over 17 years of experience, Aggarwal has earlier served stints at Zee Media, NDTV, Zee Entertainment & Times Television.

"We are delighted to welcome Mr. Mayur Aggarwal to News24 as our new Vice President of Sales," Anuradha Prasad, Editor in Chief of News24 Broadcast India Limited.

"His impressive track record and strategic vision make him the ideal candidate to lead our sales team. We are confident that Mayur Aggarwal's expertise will propel our sales initiatives forward and drive our company's growth", she added.

Commenting on his role, Aggarwal said, "I am honoured to join News24 and be part of this dynamic team. I look forward to leveraging my experience to enhance our sales strategies, strengthen customer relationships, and drive revenue growth. Together, we will achieve great success."

ABP’s news anchor Jiya Sharma, who was the face of the show 'Namaste Bharat', has quit. Sharma confirmed this development to e4m.

Sharma has nearly a decade of experience in news media. Prior to 'ABP News', she was associated with 'Zee' (UP/UK and MP/Chhattisgarh) for about four years. She has also worked with 'IBC24', 'Bansal News', 'Red FM and Doordarshan' in the past.

Sharma holds Masters in Mass Communication from Makhanlal Chaturvedi University

Well-known anchor and Sr Journalist Rubika Liyaquat has resigned from 'ABP News'.

If sources are to be believed, she is now planning to step into the world of entrepreneurship. Some industry sources have told e4m that Liyaquat has taken this decision since she was not given a salary raise.

Sources also say that  Liyaquat has got a big  offer from a  newly launched Hindi news channel. However, this channel is not doing well at the moment.

She was associated with 'ABP News' since  2018. 

Hailing from Udaipur, Liyaquat completed her  graduation from Mumbai University, she also holds a degree in Mass Communication. Liyaquat began her career with 'Live India'. She was associated with 'Live India' from June 2007 to September 2008. In 2008, she joined 'News24'.

She has also served stint at 'Zee News' and was associated with the network before joining ABP News.

Aaj Tak has once again secured the top spot in reach in the video news category, as per Nielsen’s Confluence solution covering 15-44 year olds from NCCS ABC households, from India's one lac+ towns, and are users of Android smartphone.

The analysis encompassed 32 Hindi TV news brands available on respective mobile applications, YouTube channels, and websites, providing a holistic view of audience engagement across multiple digital platforms. Viewers accessing news only on Aggregators or 3rd party apps such as social media feed are not covered unless the click opens the browser window outside the app to the news website. 

“The success of Aaj Tak can be attributed to its extensive reach, capturing the attention of audiences accessing the app, website, and YouTube channel on their smartphones.  Nielsen’s solution, Confluence, based on which this report has been prepared, considers news domains of Hindi news channels, focusing on Aaj Tak's website (www.aajtak.in), accounting for both video and text content consumption on the platform, further solidifying Aaj Tak's dominance,” read a press release from the channel.

Sharing his thoughts on the findings, Salil Kumar, CEO of India Today Group Digital, expressed his pride in being ranked as the top Hindi news channel. He emphasized that this accomplishment is a testament to their unwavering dedication to providing their viewers with precise, real time, and accurate news. Salil Kumar extended his gratitude to the Indian audience for their loyalty and trust in Aaj Tak, making it their preferred source of news.

The Nielsen’s Confluence solution provides reach, behavior and engagement from its Android smartphone panel (covering content watched on YouTube and top VOD brands) including news watching behavior. By maintaining its leadership position, Aaj Tak has again demonstrated its dedication to providing its viewers with the highest quality news content.