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WION

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This article is about Indian international television news network. For other uses, see WION (disambiguation).

WION
TypeRadio, broadcast news, discussions
CountryIndia
Broadcast areaWorldwide
HeadquartersNew Delhi, India
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 4:3 576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerEssel Group
History
Launched15 August 2016; 8 years ago (2016-08-15)
Links
Websitewionews.com
Availability
Streaming media
Live Streaming (International)
Live Streaming (India)
Live streaming (India)

WION (World is One News) is an Indian multinational English language news channel headquartered in New Delhi.[1][2] It is owned by the Essel Group and is part of the Zee Media network of channels.[3] The channel covers global news and current affairs.[4]

History

Its website was launched in many countries as a free-to-air satellite service on 15 June 2016.[5] The television channel began airing on 15 August 2016. WION is India's first privately owned international news channel.[6] Palki Sharma Upadhyay, main face of the channel, resigned in September 2022.[7]

Team

Founding team

The founder Rohit Gandhi and editor-in-chief started the build of the channel in August 2015.[8] He spent the first 6 months in building the branding and building the technology of the network. In May 2016, he hired his former student from Carleton University Mandy Clark, former CBS correspondent,[9] as his deputy for running the network. He then hired Mithaq Kazimi (Digital Hub),[10]

Surya Gangadharan (head of TV output) and Padma Rao (head of input) as managing producers respectively. Gandhi spent over a year interviewing 2300 people to select about 200 journalists with two HR professional primarily Varsha Sinha and Vancha Garg to select his team. He hand picked his team. He hired correspondents in countries even though they were in conflict with India where his channel was based, because of his credentials as an objective journalist. Taha Siddiqui in Pakistan was one of his hired who later had to seek asylum after Gandhi exited from the network. He also hired journalists included Saad Hammadi, Bangladesh bureau chief and former correspondent for The Guardian,[11][12] Archith Seshadri, former CNN anchor,[13] and Anchal Vohra as the Beirut and conflict region at large Correspondent.

Current team

The current team includes Sudhir Chaudhary as editor-in-chief. Sidhant Sibal of DD News joined the organisation on 1 April 2018. Sumit Chaturvedi, who was previously with ET Now and CNBC TV18, currently looks after the business news content and conducts morning and evening business shows called "WALLET". The former news anchor of Republic TV, Akanksha Swarup, joined WION in 2018, becoming one of the channel's leading faces. Sayed Mustafa Kazemi became the Afghanistan correspondent for the channel in February 2020. Associated journalists include Naveen Kapoor, Digvijay Singh Deo, Rabin Sharma, Ieshan Wani, Kartikeya Sharma, and Alyson le Grange.

The channel's Pakistan bureau chief, Taha Siddiqui, was forced into exile after a failed kidnapping attempt in Islamabad. He was replaced by Anas Mallick.[14][15]

Content

TV programmes

  • Gravitas: WION's prime-time show which brings viewers news and discussions on concurrent issues from India and abroad.
  • Gravitas Plus: A digital exclusive (Youtube and other social handles including official website) show.
  • Global Leadership Series (GLS): An interview-based programme featuring a selection of heads of state or government.
  • WION World Order: A platform for mutual dialogue on foreign policies.
  • The Diplomacy Show: Interviews with diplomats.
  • WION Sports: Covers global sports.
  • Top Stories: Brings the breaking news of the hour from India and abroad.
  • WION Speed News: A news segment of WION which brings the top stories of the morning.
  • WION Wallet: Coverage of finance and the economy
  • WION Fineprint: An analysis of international news and developments regarding social and economic issues
  • Your Story: information on the most trending stories of the day from India and abroad.
  • WION Pitstop: An auto-show covering previews, launches, first-drive/ride reports, comparisons and motorsport action from India and abroad.
  • WION Tech It Out: a weekly technology show
  • WION Wings: India's first aviation show on television, covering flying, air shows, pilots, airlines and general aviation
  • WION MELT: interviews with marketing profession
  • WION Edge: One of WION's most viewed programmes, focusing on stories and people from India and abroad.[16]
  • World at War: A special program delivered during the Russian invasion in Ukraine.
  • WION Pulse: A Global news section starting to stream since 7 November 2022
  • World of Africa: A weekly program which concentrates on African politics, society and cultures
  • Tale of two cities: A special program delivered by architect Dikshu Kukreja

Previous shows

  • Democracy & Dictatorship, hosted by Rohit Gandhi (2016–2017)[17]
  • Konversations
  • This Also Happened, hosted by Archit Sheshadri and Sana Khan (2016-2018)[18]
  • WION Breakfast, hosted by various anchors (2016–2017)[19]

Controversies

Appointment of M. J. Akbar

In 2021, the appointment of M. J. Akbar, an Indian journalist and politician who has been accused of sexual assault by women, to WION as an "editorial consultant" was met with controversy, with more than 150 journalists signing a statement demanding that Akbar be removed by WION and Zee News.[20][needs update]

2022 YouTube block

On 22 March 2022, WION was blocked from YouTube for "violating Youtube's community guidelines". YouTube had taken objection to a video posted on 10 March broadcasting a speech by Sergey Lavrov, head of Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, denying the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[21] YouTube unblocked the channel on 26 March after a social media campaign by WION.[22]

Lawsuit against former anchor Palki Sharma

After former anchor Palki Sharma Upadhyay announced her retirement from WION and the creation of new talk show in CNN-News18, WION filed a lawsuit to Upadhyay, by saying that " confidential and proprietary Zee information" are taken by Upadhyay, and demanded that Upadhyay should continue to work for WION until December 2022 and pay for damages worth Rs 2 crore. However, the Delhi High court refused WION's appeal, and the next hearing of the case would be delayed until March 2023.[23]

References

  1. ^ Chauhan, Shubhang (8 December 2016). "English News channel of Zee group' WION' announces its official launch". India News, Breaking News | India.com.
  2. ^ "About Us". WION.
  3. ^ "Disclaimer". WION.
  4. ^ Thomas, K. Sunil (20 May 2021). "Miffed with global criticism, Modi govt to launch BBC-like international news channel". The Week. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  5. ^ "WION on Periscope: "WION launch"". Periscope.tv. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  6. ^ "Atlanta's Archith Seshadri debuts as anchor on Zee Media's global English news channel". NRI Pulse. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  7. ^ "Palki Sharma Upadhyay, the face of WION news channel, quits: Report". Newslaundry. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Zee Media to launch English news broadcast, appoints Rohit Gandhi as editor-in-chief". firstpost.com. 17 August 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  9. ^ "CBS News Hires Digital Journalist Based in Afghanistan". Adweek. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  10. ^ "Mithaq Kazimi | WION". 8 July 2018. Archived from the original on 8 July 2018.
  11. ^ "WION Authors". WION. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  12. ^ "Saad Hammadi". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  13. ^ "CNN International Editor Off to Anchor in India". Adweek. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  14. ^ Jorgic, Drazen (10 January 2018). "Pakistani journalist critical of military escapes kidnap attempt". Reuters.
  15. ^ Siddiqui, Taha (8 January 2019). "Opinion | I'm a journalist who fled Pakistan, but I no longer feel safe in exile". The Washington Post.
  16. ^ "Edge". WION.
  17. ^ "Video". Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via YouTube.
  18. ^ "Video". Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via YouTube.
  19. ^ "Video". Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via YouTube.
  20. ^ "158 personalities write to Zee Media against MJ Akbar's appointment in WION Over 150 Journalists Sign Letter Asking WION News to Remove M.J. Akbar". The Wire. 9 September 2021.
  21. ^ Team, N. L. "YouTube blocks WION for 'trivialising' Russia-Ukraine war". Newslaundry. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  22. ^ "YouTube unblocks WION after 12 hours and 25,000 posts in support of channel". DNA India. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  23. ^ Tiwari, Ayush (23 November 2022). "Why Zee Media won't let Palki Sharma Upadhyay join Network18". News Laundry. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
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