News Express expected to launch regional channels in March

Ravikant Mittal, as managing editor, will head the regional channels and News Express.

To head the two channels, Ravikant Mittal has been appointed as managing editor of News Express. He will oversee the regional channels of the news network and will report to Vinod Kapri, CEO and editor-in-chief, News Express. He joined the channel on January, 29.

The two regional channels are expected to be launched after the existing Hindi news channel is in place. The network will also try and beef up the distribution of the Hindi channel. Different teams will handle the regional channels and the studios and other set up is ready.

The test runs of the channels are on and will go on for about 45-60 days, before the actual launch. The ad-sales, however, is yet to start.

Mittal is the erstwhile head of Aaj Tak's Tez channel and output editor of Aaj Tak. Kapri says, "He (Mittal) has worked with Zee News for many years and has launched many regional channels. I think Ravi is one of the best newsroom managers in the Indian news industry. I have worked with him at Zee and India TV for years and I strongly believe that with his experience and dynamic approach, we will take News Express to the next level."

Mittal started his career as a freelancer with an independent producer for Doordarshan in 1995. He then worked for a while with Nalini Singh on Aankhon Dekhi between 1996 and 1998. He then joined Eenadu network in 1998, and later moved to Zee News.

He joined Zee News in 2000 and left as executive editor in 2008. He helped in launching the two channels, Zee 24 Taas (Marathi news channel) and Zee MP Chhattisgarh.

Before the TV Today Group stint that began in 2011, he was executive editor of India TV since 2008.