India Today sets news channels ablaze with ‘Prime Time News on Fire', a web series

At a time when TV news has become very noisy and full of anchor-centric opinionated debates, India Today Group has launched a satirical web series “Prime Time News on Fire” in an appeal to #SaveNews.

According to the group, the web series is a light-hearted take on the increasing trend of noisy news and highly opinionated ‘highway or my way’ style of prime time news debates that are being served to viewers in the name of news.

The purpose of the series, according to India Today, is to raise awareness about the diminishing checks and balances in news dissemination and to highlight the compromised principles followed by some organisations in the name of a non-stop news cycle.

The satirical series, however, also seems to be taking a direct jibe at Arnab Goswami style of journalism.

Vivek Malhotra, Group CMO, India Today Group, speaking about this initiative, said, “The conviction to challenge the currently accepted level of cacophony in the name of speed and TRP separates this campaign from any other. This satire series attempts to curb the trend of flouting journalistic principles, close-minded debates and exaggeration beyond responsible levels.”

This series is a fun yet effective attempt of a news organisation to make a comment on its own self and the industry at large.

So, is it a direct jibe at Goswami or are they targeting the entire news genre? Malhotra replied, “We aren’t targeting any individual but merely providing a mirror to the news business. And as they say, it is important to learn to laugh at oneself also at times!”

Ramesh Sippy Entertainment has written the script and produced it for the India Today Group. Rohan Sippy, Producer, said, “Imagine being asked to satirise news, by a news channel! Really takes a legendary brand and an impeccable reputation to take this risk. It’s been a great opportunity to look up close at our ‘fourth pillar’, at a time when the media is under an unprecedented spotlight. We hope this contributes to that conversation, with a few laughs along the way!”

Anuvab Pal, stand-up comedian and director of the show, said, “It was a fantastic opportunity to be able to look at news in a comic way at a time when its importance and impartiality is critical. I’ve often heard in India that we don’t have a sense of humour about ourselves. I hope this series with India Today puts an end to that idea.”

India Today Group said the films have got a fantastic response and have surpassed 2 million views in a short span of time.

Kunal Kapoor and Gopal Dutt are some of the actors who have featured in the series. Presently, there are three episodes in the series, and the group soon plans to launch more episodes in the first season itself.