Largest group of broadcasters- News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) consolidates structure

News Broadcasters Federation (NBF), the largest industry association of over 78 national and regional news channels met on Saturday to consolidate the governance and management structure, and to finalise on the modalities of a self-regulatory organisation - News Broadcasters Federation Authority. With the aim to bring in transparent self-regulation on content, the largest ever group of broadcasters unanimously elected Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami as the new President of the NBF governing board. "I am grateful for the trust and confidence shown in me by the largest ever group of broadcasters in India. NBF is a game changer and its incredible how so many channel owners and top executives have come together so quickly to make NBF happen." Arnab Goswami said on being elected as the President of NBF. "For far too long a clutch of Delhi based channels have falsely claimed to represent Indian broadcasting. NBF will change that, for good." The members of the largest group of broadcasters elected four vice presidents-- Jagi Mangat Panda co-founder of Ortel Communications; Shankar Bala of Fourth Dimension Media; Sanjive Narain, Chairman and Managing Director of Prag News, and Kartikeya Sharma of ITV Network, who will be part of the governing board. “I think this is one of the best moves that have been taken up with all of us together and thinking that in the broadcasting industry, it will be a big step,” said Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, Chairman and Managing Director of Pride East Entertainment, a broadcaster from the north-eastern part of India. "Basically, it is an association of regional channels and broadcasters. We represent around 100 crore people. Earlier we were not able to hear in Delhi. Now we are an association where we can reach out in Delhi and sort out our problems, and that’s the best part of it," said Anil Ayroor, Chief Operating Officer of Twentyfour News, a news broadcaster from Kerala. The members also unanimously named R. Jai Krishna, a former journalist and public policy specialist in the Media sector, as the first Secretary-General/ Executive Director of NBF. R. Jai Krishna comes with more than two decades of experience and expertise, especially in the news media industry. He will run the secretariat being set up in New Delhi, given the proximity to government ministries, concerned departments, and industry regulators. “I am more than happy to represent the aspirations of regional news broadcasters and resolve their common issues to make national and regional news industry more sustainable,” R. Jai Krishna said on his appointment. Angad Deep Singh, Director of Chandigarh-based Living India News added: “NBF had to be set up, because we the regional and national players wanted someone who could be a voice in the nation. Even the regional or all of us had to be together to the problems which all of us are facing." "After forming NBF everyone is coming together, and there are so many people who are interested and who are joining NBF, they are enthusiastic,” said Sukhdev Singh Ghuman, Chairman of Digiana Industries, one of the largest MSOs based in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. “I think the regional channels are going to be benefitted a lot." Prior to the meeting, the members of the board met with Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar to present the first set of the memorandum. The Minister urged NBF and its members to form a strong self-regulatory mechanism while recognizing the importance of regional news channels. What is NBF? The largest-ever federation of news channels, representing both national and regional news broadcasters was formed in July this year, by bringing together 50 news channels. NBF jointly is sled by experience and expertise of over 1000 years, deliver news and information to more than 100 crore viewers from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and Gandhi Nagar to Guwahati, through their more than 100,000 direct and indirect employees. News Broadcasters Federation Authority aims to create new standards for news broadcasting and will address violations through a committee of editors from within the federation. “We will strive to make self-regulations and we will strive to make to benefit the industry and take forward this industry in a very positive way keeping in mind the entire country, keeping in mind the entire diversity of the country in mind. We will take it forward,” added Sanjive Narain. Founder members of NBF Republic Media Network (Republic TV and Republic Bharat), Puthiyathalaimurai ( Tamil Nadu) and V6 News (Telangana), Orissa TV (Orissa), IBC24 (MP and Chhattisgarh), TV9 Bharatvarsh, Newslive and Northeast Live (Assam and Northeast), First India News (Rajasthan), Kolkata TV (West Bengal), CVR News (AP and Telangana), Polimer News (Tamil Nadu), Khabar Fast (Haryana), Living India News (Punjab), Prag News (Assam), NTV (AP and Telangana), Maha News (AP and Telangana), TV5 News (AP and Telangana), MKTV (Tamil Nadu), Vanitha TV (AP and Telangana), DNN and IND24 (MP), Shri Sankara TV and Ayush TV (Karnataka), A1 TV (Jaipur), Power TV (Karnataka),Raj News (Tamil Nadu), Twentyfour News (Kerala), CVR News Network (AP and Telangana), National Voice (Uttar Pradesh), Nirman News (Gujarat), Anaadi TV (MP and Chhattisgarh), VRL Media (Karnataka), Calcutta News (West Bengal),News 7 (Tamil Nadu), DNN and News World ( MP and Chhattisgarh), M H One ( Haryana), Mantavya News (Gujarat), Gujarat Television ( Gujarat), S Newz ( West Bengal), Bansal TV ( MP) and Onkat TV (West Bengal)

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Largest group of broadcasters- News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) consolidates structure

News Broadcasters Federation (NBF), the largest industry association of over 78 national and regional news channels, held a meeting on Saturday

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