Broadcasters celebrate freedom with a special line-up this Independence Day

Television broadcasters have always tried to connect with audiences on special occasions with relevant programming. Continuing with the trend this Independence day, broadcasters have lined up a series of special programmes for its viewers. Considering that it's a national holiday, a lot of people prefer lazing around in the house in front of TV and so broadcasters have decided to not leave that opportunity untouched.

National Geographic

‘The President’s Bodyguard’, a documentary on the bodyguards of The President of India, will be telecast at 9pm on August 15 on National Geographic channel to celebrate the rich traditions and legacy of one of the oldest regiments of the Indian Army.

A special screening will take place at Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 14 for President Ram Nath Kovind. Representatives from several ministries and forces will be present.

Uday Shankar, President, 21st Century Fox, Asia, and Chairman and CEO of Star India, said, “The President’s Bodyguard is the story of India’s historic and heritage cavalry unit, and one of the senior most regiments of the Indian army. Its glorious history of service to the nation and pursuit of excellence makes it unique and we are incredibly proud of bringing its story to our viewers. National Geographic, over many years, has showcased history, science, geography and cultures around the world and is the only platform that can do justice to the rich legacy of these untiring, dedicated and brave soldiers and their military traditions.”

The President’s Bodyguard is narrated by Amitabh Bachchan, whose voice strings the film together. It is the oldest surviving mounted units and one of the senior most regiments of the Indian Army with a 245-year-old legacy and made up of almost 200 soldiers, representing supreme and selfless service. Be it the Republic Day Parade or the President’s swearing-in ceremony, these men have upheld important traditions that have been passed on to generations, many times over the last 200 years.

News18 India

The channel has lined up a special show with CRPF Jawans 'Yeh Jo Desh Hai Mera’ to be telecast on August 15.

The special show will feature CRPF personnel who, along with well-known hasya kavis, will celebrate India's 72nd Independence Day in a unique style. While the kavis will recite poems and satirical verses on independence, bravery, battles and sacrifices, the viewers will also witness soldiers unwinding and showcasing their own poetic and artistic talents.

Capturing the true spirit of freedom, News18 India through its special show will encapsulate and reflect the nation's patriotic fervour. CRPF personnel such as Sanjay Kumar Yadav, Second in Command, Amit Sharma, Deputy Commandant, Naveen Rana, Assistant Commandant to name a few, will mark this Independence Day with the viewers of News18 India.

Epic TV

Regiment Diaries, the new show on Epic TV, provides insights into the training, lineage legacy and all that goes into turning a civilian into a soldier.

Regiment Diaries will air from August 16 to be telecast every Thursday at 10 pm.

Akul Tripathi, Content and Programming Head, Epic Channel, said, “We have it as our mission to celebrate every aspect of India and the celebration was always incomplete until we celebrated the Indian Army. In many ways, this show is special for us; it is also our personal mark of gratitude and pride for the army. Every person who has worked on the show has gone that extra mile for this particular series and had only this much to say for it ‘Itna toh banta hai’.”

The episodes feature stories of various battles from India’s history and the regiment’s contributions along with anecdotes from the battles and the preparations that go into making men ready for war. Each episode explores the specific traditions and culture within each regiment and how they each add colour and character to the fabric of the Indian army.

The show will be flagged off with an episode on the Madras Engineers Group regiment, followed by episodes on other regiments, including Rajputana Rifles, Sikh Regiment, Jat Regiment, Maratha Light Infantry, among others.

On Independence Day, Epic will release a four-min trailer of Regiment Diaries that embodies the soul of the show. This will be part of a specially curated day-long programming line-up that includes episodes from its popular shows, riveting documentaries on historic battles of independent India by Major General GD Bakshi and a revisiting of historic moments through a compilation of iconic speeches by Indian leaders, which changed the course of Indian politics and society, from their show Bharat Ki Awaaz.

VH1

Vh1 will celebrate 72 years of Independence with 72 of these Indian Indie musicians who have made our country proud. The programme will be telecast on August 15 at 12pm and 7pm.

Vh1 takes you down their journeys by tracking their roots and showcasing their best works. The show talks about their time from Rang Bhavan days to playing internationally at festivals like Glastonbury and Tomorrowland, from rock and metal days to the present electronic scene.

Additionally, Vh1 will host the longest multicity Facebook live relay with artists like Parikrama, Grain and Komorebi in Delhi at The Piano Man Jazz Bar; The Koniac Net, Laxmi Bomb, Sidd Coutto (Zero) and Laxmi Bomb in Mumbai at The Quarter; Azadi Records Collective, Oceantied and Thermal and a Quarter in Bangalore at The Humming Tree on August 15 giving viewers a chance to connect with their favourite artists.

Star Movies

War for the Planet of the Apes will premiere on Star Movies on August 15 at 1pm and 9pm. The channel has named it War of Freedom.

In War for the Planet of the Apes, Caesar and his apes are forced into an open conflict with humans, led by a ruthless Colonel. After the Colonel kills Caesar’s family, Caesar begins his quest to avenge his kind. What follows is an epic battle between apes and the humans as they fight to decide who will be the dominant species on the planet.

Discovery Kids

Discovery Kids will premiere special content dedicated to Indian Armed Forces. The premiere of a 90-minute special episode of Little Singham aptly titled Desh ka Sipahi will be showcased at 1.30 pm on August 15. An extraordinary tale of patriotism, courage, action and adventure, Desh Ka Sipahi showcases journey of an eight-year-old Ajay, a regular school-going student, who becomes part of Sher-Dil-Mission and transforms into India’s youngest super cop Little Singham. Together with the armed forces, the young protagonist fights against the enemies to protect the motherland.

Uttam Pal Singh, Business Head, Discovery Kids, said, “Little Singham - Desh ka Sipahi is a very special story. This Independence Day we want to inspire and ignite the feeling of patriotism among kids and pay tribute to the brave hearts of the nation.”

History TV18

History TV18 has planned a marathon of inspiring stories that celebrate real Indian Heroes. Starting from August 6 to August 15 at 9pm, the channel is airing a series titled ‘History Honours India’s Valorous’ featuring iconic documentaries like Special Operations India: Surgical Strikes (Pathankot and Myanmar), Fire Power: Defending India and Netaji Bose: The Lost Treasure.

Times Now 
Navika Kumar, Managing Editor on her show, Frankly Speaking will interview the Defence Minister, Nirmala Seetha Raman. Hosted at Asia’s biggest and largest air base, Hindon Air Force station, the show will focus on how the government has changed the paradigm of India’s defence establishment.
Krantibhoomi, a 1-hour special hosted by the Chief Editor Rahul Shivshankar, will recreate five iconic events that were important in the struggle to attain India’s Independence. This will include a panel discussion with the experts including S Irfan Habib, Historian and Author Rakesh Sinha, MP Rajya Sabha and Author Ashis Nandy, Sociologist Dr. Ajit Jha, amongst others.

Guarding our Freedom hosted by Consulting Editor (Strategic Affairs), Maroof Raza, will host special interviews with the Param Vir Chakra winners, Captain Bana Singh, Subedar Major Yogendra Yadav and Subedar Sanjay Singh. The show will feature interactions with these legends on the exceptional bravery displayed by them in the face of adversity and their journey of serving the nation.

Mirror Now
Through a special show, This is my India, Mirror Now will feature the journey of six individuals who have worked selflessly for the well-being of other fellow Indians and have brought about a change in the society.

Verified, a new feature on the channel will feature a special interview of Bharat Vatwani by the channel’s Executive Editor Faye D’Souza.

An Urban Debate Special, D’Souza will host an exclusive panel discussion on the daily struggles of LGBTQ community and their fight to challenging the constitutionality of Section 377. The panelists include Parmesh Shahani, Head, Godrej India Culture Lab, film-maker Onir, Dr Prasad Raj Dendekar, Head of Radiation Oncology, Sir H N Reliance foundation Hospital) and Vasu Primlani (Comedian).

Magic 106.4 FM
The radio station highlights the stories of brave women freedom fighters and their integral role in the Indian freedom struggle under the theme #FighterLikeHer.

The idea is to get the listeners inspired by the legendary stories of Raj Kumari Gupta, Pritilata Waddedar, Aruna Asaf Ali and Matangini Hazra, that highlight their grit and strength. By showcasing their bravery and guts, Magic 106.4 FM aims to get its listeners to use the term ‘Fighter Like Her’ in their conversations and nominate others, while trying to describe the virtues of power and determination.

Nisha Narayanan, COO, Magic FM, said, “Magic 106.4 FM believes in walking the talk. We are dedicating this day to highlight and talk about women freedom fighters who took risks and lived their life fearlessly. They did not get bogged down by societal norms and stereotypes and fought selflessly for our country. They are the true inspiration to the millennial women of today.”

Red FM

Red FM has taken a step in uniting the country with the Independence Day campaign ‘National Jock Exchange’. On this Independence Day, Red FM’s RJs, from 14 different cities will cross the border of their state to explore a new city. The campaign is called #CrossTheBorder.

Ranjit Pathak, National Programming Head, Red FM, said, “Red FM being one of the largest radio network in the country aims to demolish this rhetorical question that a Punjabi is better than a Maharashtrian and vice versa. We want to establish the fact that a Maharashtrian, a Malayali, a Kannadiga, a Delhiite, an Assamese and every other citizen who lives in those 29 states and seven Union Territories are Indians irrespective of our belief, culture and language.”

Nisha Narayanan, COO, Red FM, said “We belong to a country that is identified by its culture and diversity across the different geographical territories. With our station’s expansions across all markets, we plan to be united in any way possible. Bringing our IPs like MusiCom, Swag Fest and our on air shows up on a national pedestal is a way to stand united as one network! Through this campaign we aim to unite our listeners and promote secularism and unity to sustain India’s democratic spirit as we celebrate India’s 72st Independence Day.”

Big FM

Big FM has associated with Vishwaroop 2 as official radio partner to mark the 72nd Independence Day. In line with the movie’s theme, the radio network has rolled out a two week-long campaign #FightForBetterIndia. It aims at fighting for a better and a sustainable society by highlighting nine daily terrors faced by the common man today. Actor Kamal Haasan shares solutions on the terror topic of the day, during the evening time band on Big MJ Dilipp’s show. The campaign will conclude on August 15 with a high-decibel radio and digital activity, showcasing 72 Big MJs across the nation coming together with Haasan to fight the daily terrors.

Sunil Kumaran, Country Head, Thwink, Big FM, said, “Big FM’s content strategy is driven by its ‘Shared Purpose’ philosophy wherein the brand messaging is seamlessly integrated in our spikes. Associating with Vishwaroop 2 is an extension of this ideology with innovative content. The campaign has been strategized to create top-of-the-mind recall value through a multi-platform activation plan propelling the key messaging of the film to reach among the masses.”

In the Big MJ of the week from August 6-15, Haasan on Dilip’s evening show is connecting with the listeners and guiding them on the ways to fight nine daily terrors. Each day is dedicated to a pressing issue such as pollution, traffic, potholes, fake news, body-shaming, deadlines, Monday meetings, corruption and competition, which is discussed on-air. The show also features experts and social activists partake in the meaningful and important discussions. The activity has been further amplified on social media platforms of the network with nine snackable videos featuring actor Kamal Haasan sharing solutions to the terror topic of the day. The innovative concept of addressing the daily issues combined with a multi-platform approach is thereby enabling an enhanced reach among wider demographics.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com