Network18 Media owned English news channel CNN-IBN will be losing its prefix as it ends its 10-year brand licensing deal with Turner Broadcasting System. In a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange, TV 18 said the company and CNN "will be successfully concluding their ten-year brand licensing and news services arrangement for use of the CNN brand and CNN news content in January 2016". Both the companies mention this is not a breakup but instead a mutual agreement to not renew the brand licensing agreement. The initial deal was signed between CNN and TV18 group company Global Broadcast News (GBN). GBN was later rebranded to IBN18 Broadcast, then TV18 Broadcast, and currently operates CNN-IBN which was launched in 2005, Hindi news channel IBN7 and Marathi news channel IBN Lokmat. A Mint report had earlier reported that CNN is in talks with the Zee Group to set up a new English news channel in India, citing sources. The publication also added that it wasn't clear whether it will be a similar branding agreement or a deal which will involve equity. The move takes prominence at a time when the Indian government is examining the possibility of raising the cap on foreign direct investment in news media from 26% to 49%. The Zee Group operates its TV channels through its subsidiary Zee Media Corp. The company operates two national channels—Zee News, a general news channel in Hindi, and Zee Business, a Hindi business news channel. Other channels include Zee 24 Taas (Maharashtra), Zee Sangam (Uttar…
