WION

Zee Media hired Rohit Gandhi as the founder and first editor-in-chief to establish the channel in August 2015.{{cite web |date=17 August 2015 |title=Zee Media to launch English news broadcast, appoints Rohit Gandhi as editor-in-chief |url=http://www.firstpost.com/business/zee-media-to-launch-english-news-broadcast-appoints-rohit-gandhi-as-editor-in-chief-2395800.html |access-date=21 March 2016 |publisher=firstpost.com}} Its simulcast was launched on its website in many countries as a free-to-air satellite service on 15 June 2016.{{cite web |date=15 June 2016 |title=WION on Periscope: "WION launch" |url=https://www.periscope.tv/w/1DXxyZkrOaWKM |access-date=17 September 2016 |publisher=Periscope.tv}} The television channel began airing on 15 August 2016.{{cite web |title=Atlanta's Archith Seshadri debuts as an anchor on Zee Media's global English news channel |url=http://www.nripulse.com/atlanta%E2%80%99s-archith-seshadri-debuts-as-anchor-on-zee-media%E2%80%99s-global-english-news-channel/ |access-date=17 September 2016 |publisher=NRI Pulse}} The channel was made available on Google Assistant in 2020.{{Cite web |title=Zee News and WION now on Google Assistant |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/business/zee-news-and-wion-now-on-google-assistant20200218105428/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=ANI News |language=en}} Sudhir Chaudhary served as its editor-in-chief after Gandhi until he left in 2021.{{cite web |title=Is Aajtak's bet on Sudhir Chaudhary paying off? |date=21 October 2022 |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2022/10/21/is-aaj-taks-bet-on-sudhir-chaudhary-paying-off}} Before switching to CNN-News18, Palki Sharma Upadhyay served for 4 years and resigned in September 2022.{{cite news |date=2022-09-02 |title=Palki Sharma Upadhyay, the face of the WION news channel, quits: Report |work=Newslaundry |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2022/09/02/palki-sharma-upadhyay-the-face-of-wion-news-channel-quits-report |access-date=2022-09-03}} Past team includes Naveen Kapoor and Kartikeya Sharma.

In 2021, the appointment of M.J. Akbar, an Indian journalist and politician who has been accused of sexual assault by women, to WION as an "editorial consultant" was met with controversy, with more than 150 journalists signing a statement demanding that Akbar be removed by WION and Zee News.{{Cite news |date=September 9, 2021 |title=158 personalities write to Zee Media against MJ Akbar's appointment in WION Over 150 Journalists Sign Letter Asking WION News to Remove M.J. Akbar |website=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/media/150-journalists-ask-wion-news-to-remove-mj-akbar}}{{Update inline|date=March 2022|reason=So what happened to his appointment then? Was he removed?}}

The current team includes Sidhant Sibal of DD News, who joined the media corporation on 1 April 2018. Madhu Soman{{Cite web |title=Zee Media appoints Madhu Soman as a Chief Business Officer, WION - Exchange4media |url=https://www.exchange4media.com/media-tv-news/zee-media-appoints-madhu-soman-as-chief-business-officer-wion-121654.html |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=Indian Advertising Media & Marketing News – exchange4media |date=August 2022 |language=en}} joined as a chief business officer in 2022. Rohit Banerjee looks after the branded content. While Molly Gambhir replaces Palki Sharma's position on Gravitas and Gravitas Plus to become the leading anchor of the WION channel, other associated journalists include Digvijay Singh Deo, Shivan Chanana, Rabin Sharma, Ieshan Wani, Esha Hanspal, Priyanka Sharma and Alyson le Grange.

The channel's Pakistan bureau chief, Taha Siddiqui, was forced into exile after a failed kidnapping attempt in Islamabad. He was replaced by Anas Mallick.{{Cite web |last=Jorgic |first=Drazen |date=10 January 2018 |title=Pakistani journalist critical of military escapes kidnap attempt |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-media-kidnapping-idUSKBN1EZ0TK |work=Reuters}}{{Cite news |last=Siddiqui |first=Taha |date=8 January 2019 |title=Opinion | I'm a journalist who fled Pakistan, but I no longer feel safe in exile |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/01/08/im-journalist-who-fled-pakistan-i-no-longer-feel-safe-exile/}}

In 2020, the Chinese Embassy in India lodged a formal protest against WION for its interview with Joseph Wu, head of Taiwan's foreign relations. The embassy criticized WION for promoting what it called "Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) separatist activities", claiming it contradicted India's adherence to the One-China policy. The embassy stated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, as recognized by UN resolutions, and urged WION to respect India's official position. It warned that any challenge to China's territorial integrity regarding Taiwan would be strongly opposed.{{Cite web |title=China tries to dictate terms to Indian media, objects to WIONs interview with Taiwan FM Joseph Wu |url=https://zeenews.india.com/world/china-tries-to-dictate-terms-to-indian-media-objects-to-wions-interview-with-taiwan-fm-joseph-wu-2319546.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127145413/https://zeenews.india.com/world/china-tries-to-dictate-terms-to-indian-media-objects-to-wions-interview-with-taiwan-fm-joseph-wu-2319546.html |archive-date=27 November 2020 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Zee News |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Remarks by Spokesperson of Chinese Embassy in India on certain Indian media's interview with the head of Taiwan's foreign affairs office |url=http://in.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/embassy_news/202403/t20240302_11252832.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427072248/http://in.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/embassy_news/202403/t20240302_11252832.htm |archive-date=27 April 2024 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=in.china-embassy.gov.cn}}

In the same year, the Chinese government blocked access to the WION website, as confirmed by GreatFire.org, a Chinese internet monitoring watchdog.{{Cite web |last=Outlook |first=Team Tech |date=2020-07-02 |title=Now China blocks Indian News Channel WION |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/web-social-media/now-china-blocks-indian-news-channel-wion/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=www.wionews.com is 100% blocked in China {{!}} GreatFire Analyzer |url=https://en.greatfire.org/www.wionews.com |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=en.greatfire.org}} Earlier WION has faced criticism from the Chinese government for a coverage on what it described as a "cover-up" of COVID-19 pandemic situation in China. In March, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian blocked WION on Twitter. Chinese diplomats in India also critiqued its reporting. In June, the Global Times, linked to the Chinese Communist Party, named WION in an article, advising it to think "independently".{{Cite web |title=WION Website Blocked in China After India Bans 59 Chinese Apps, Including TikTok And UC Browser |url=https://www.india.com/news/world/wion-website-blocked-in-china-after-india-bans-59-chinese-apps-including-tiktok-and-uc-browser-4074325/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=www.india.com |language=en}}

In July 2020, cable operators in Nepal ceased broadcasting several Indian news channels, including WION, in response to airing of a video that was deemed to be disrespectful to K. P. Sharma Oli, the prime minister of Nepal and a leader of Nepal Communist Party.{{Cite web |last1=Giri |first1=Anil |last2=Raj Neupane |first2=Suresh |date=10 July 2020 |title=Cable operators ban Indian news channels in response to 'insulting' video about prime minister |url=https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/07/09/cable-operators-ban-indian-news-channels-in-response-to-insulting-video-about-prime-minister |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250109020845/https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/07/09/cable-operators-ban-indian-news-channels-in-response-to-insulting-video-about-prime-minister |archive-date=9 January 2025 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=The Kathmandu Post |language=English}} After a month, some cable operators decided to lift the ban following public backlash from Nepali viewers.{{Cite web |title=Nepal Partially Lifts Ban On Indian Private News Channels |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/nepal-partially-lifts-ban-on-indian-private-news-channels-2262189 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=www.ndtv.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2020-07-16 |title=Ban on Indian private news channels lifted in Nepal |url=https://www.wionews.com/videos/ban-on-indian-private-news-channels-lifted-in-nepal-world-news-313637 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Wion |language=en}}

On 22 March 2022, WION was blocked from YouTube for "violating YouTube's community guidelines". YouTube had taken objection to a video posted on 10 March, broadcasting a speech by Sergey Lavrov, the head of Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, denying the Russian invasion of Ukraine.{{Cite web |last=Team |first=N. L. |title=YouTube blocks WION for 'trivialising' Russia-Ukraine war |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2022/03/26/youtube-blocks-wion-for-trivialising-russia-ukraine-war |access-date=2022-03-26 |website=Newslaundry|date=26 March 2022 }} YouTube unblocked the channel on 26 March after a social media campaign by WION.{{Cite web |title=YouTube unblocks WION after 12 hours and 25,000 posts in support of channel |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-youtube-unblocks-wion-after-12-hours-and-25000-posts-in-support-of-channel-2942173 |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=DNA India |language=en}}

WION was cited in a September 2024 report from RRM Canada on "Potential Foreign Information Manipulation, and Interference following PM Statement on Killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar". The report examined content from popular Indian State-aligned media outlets and influencers, including WION, finding that "Modi-aligned outlets amplified several state-supported narratives about Prime Minister Trudeau, "Canada's High Commissioner to India, Canada's national security agencies, Canada's Punjabi Sikh diaspora, and Hardeep Singh Nijjar's political beliefs." The report also noted the “massive digital footprint” of some of these media outlets in comparison to Canadian media outlets, and the likely reach they had to global and Canadian audiences.{{cite web | last=Mago | first=Shivani | title=Month-old Canadian report flagged posts, news from 'Modi-aligned media' as 'foreign interference' | website=ThePrint | date=2024-10-18 | url=https://theprint.in/diplomacy/month-old-canadian-report-flagged-posts-news-from-modi-aligned-media-as-foreign-interference/2317844/ | access-date=2024-10-25}}{{cite web | last=Seli | first=Yeshi | title=Canada's RRM report claims Indian media shaped negative narratives about Trudeau | website=The New Indian Express | date=2024-10-20 | url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2024/Oct/20/canadas-rrm-report-claims-indian-media-shaped-negative-narratives-about-trudeau | access-date=2024-10-25}}{{Cite web |date=September 12, 2024 |title=Potential Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference following PM Statement on Killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar |url=https://foreigninterferencecommission.ca/fileadmin/foreign_interference_commission/Documents/Exhibits_and_Presentations/Exhibits/CAN025923_0001.pdf |access-date=March 27, 2025 |language=English |type=PDF}}{{Cite web |title=Canadian report highlights Indian media's role in escalating bilateral tensions |url=https://www.newindiaabroad.com/english/diplomacy/canadian-report-highlights-indian-medias-role-in-escalating-bilateral-tensions |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=New India Abroad}}

After the former anchor Palki Sharma Upadhyay announced her retirement from WION and the creation of a new talk show in CNN News18, WION filed a lawsuit against Upadhyay, saying that "confidential and proprietary Zee information" was taken by Upadhyay, and demanded that Upadhyay should continue to work for WION until December 2022 and pay for damages worth ₹2 crores. However, the Delhi High Court refused WION's appeal, and the next hearing of the case would be delayed until March 2023.{{cite news |last1=Tiwari |first1=Ayush |title=Why Zee Media won't let Palki Sharma Upadhyay join Network18 |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2022/11/22/why-zee-media-wont-let-palki-sharma-upadhyay-join-network18 |access-date=23 November 2022 |agency=News Laundry |date=23 November 2022}}

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Category:24-hour television news channels in India

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Category:Television channels and stations established in 2016

Category:Multilingual news services

Category:English-language television stations in India