Kolkata, 7th October 2025: ET NOW, India’s leading English business news channel, launched South Central and The Interview with Ayesha Faridi. Adding to the channel’s robust programming lineup, South Central highlights South India’s powerful cultural and economic influence, while The Interview with Ayesha Faridi features candid, in-depth conversations with some of India’s most influential voices.
South Central debuted on Monday, 29th September 2025, airing weekdays from 5:30 PM to 6:00 PM, and is anchored by ETNOW’s Jude Sujendran. Dedicated to the pulse of South India, the show spotlights the region’s role as India’s economic engine and cultural powerhouse, explaining why it matters to India’s future. From business boardrooms to corridors of power and from cinema to cuisine, South Central brings viewers a comprehensive picture of the five southern states. Its editorial pillars span business & economy, politics & policy, cinema & culture, and food & lifestyle.
The Interview with Ayesha Faridi, Executive Editor, ET NOW and ET NOW Swadesh, premiered on Friday, 3rd October 2025 at 3:30 PM. This flagship weekly program features 25-minute candid, in-depth conversations with marquee leaders from business, markets, policy, sports, and culture, delivering thought leadership and insider perspectives that resonate with India’s decision-makers and global audiences alike. Designed to go beyond the noise of daily headlines, the show uncovers untold stories, the rationale behind bold decisions, and insights into future strategies from India’s most influential voices.
Commenting on the launch, Times Network stated, “With ‘South Central’ and ‘The Interview with Ayesha Faridi’, ET NOW further strengthens its commitment to delivering high-impact programming that goes beyond fleeting headlines. Both the shows embody our vision of combining sharp analysis with engaging narratives, offering viewers unmatched perspectives on the people and forces shaping India’s economy, politics, and culture”
ET NOW, part of the Times Network, is India’s premier English business news channel. Guided by its ethos “Rise with India”, the channel goes beyond markets and finance to deliver incisive coverage on the economy, policy, and development, reaching viewers across 16 countries. Through its marquee programs like “The Market”, “First Trades” and the afternoon show “Closing Trades”, ET NOW offers expert analysis of macro and micro trends, establishing itself as the trusted guide for market insights and informed decision-making.
Tune in to ‘South Central’ every weekday at 5:30 PM, and ‘The Interview with Ayesha Faridi’ every Friday at 3:30 PM, only on ET NOW.
About Times Network
TIMES NETWORK, a premium broadcast network is part of India’s largest media conglomerate, The Times Group. Times Network with its credo “Now or Nothing”, takes the centre stage in influencing the influencer, by delivering the most compelling and irreplaceable content to over 200 million urban affluent viewers in India and is available in over 100 countries across the globe. It houses best in class English and Hindi News channels including; Times Now, ET Now, Times Now Navbharat, ET Now Swadesh; Hollywood channels - MN+; Romedy Now; MNX; Bollywood channel - Zoom, Times Influence and The Zoom Studios – an original content creator that brings stories to life with relatable and compelling narratives. The digital entities of the Network, including Timesnow.in, ETNow.in, TimesNowNavbharat.com, Zoomtv.com, ETNowSwadesh.com, Digit.in, TimesFoodie.com, Times Drive, and Telly Talk are seamlessly adapted to serve the diverse nature and interests of the content-savvy internet audience.
About The Times Group
The Times Group is the leading media conglomerate in India with premium offerings across diverse businesses such as Television, Digital, Print, Radio, Outdoor Media, Events, Music, Films, Real Estate Marketplace, Higher Education and Executive Education. As India’s most influential news and entertainment content provider, it houses some of the country’s leading brands such as Times Now, ET Now, Times Now Navbharat, ET Now Swadesh; Zoom; MN+; Romedy Now; MNX, Mirchi, Gaana, Magicbricks, Junglee Pictures, Times OOH, Times Music, Junglee Music, Filmfare, Femina, Grazia, Times Influenc and ET Edge, among others. The Times Group’s Bennett University and TimesPro are fast taking leadership positions in the higher education and executive education categories respectively and it has recently diversified into global sports through a joint venture for the world’s fastest growing sport of pickleball.
The digital entities of the Network produce and curate content for digital audiences across the world with a 4 billion monthly reach through its multiple brands, including timesnow.in, etnow.in, timesnownavbharat.in, zoomtv.com, etnowswadesh.com, digit.in, timesfoodie.com, healthandme.com, timesdrive.in, and Telly Talk.
