Zakka Jacob to join Times Now as Managing Editor; Navika Kumar named Consulting Editor
Zakka Jacob is set to leave News18 and join Times Now as Managing Editor in April. Navika Kumar will take on the role of Consulting Editor amid the leadership transition.
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Senior journalist Zakka Jacob is set to move from News18 to Times Now as Managing Editor, according to sources familiar with the development. He is expected to assume the new role in April.
Jacob has been associated with News18 for nearly a decade, serving most recently as Senior Anchor and Group Foreign Affairs Editor at CNN-News18. He took up that position in December 2015, after previously serving as Managing Editor at the channel. Over the years, he has been closely identified with international affairs coverage and high-stakes geopolitical reporting, shaping CNN-News18’s positioning in the English news segment.
The move comes at a time when English television news remains highly competitive, with networks recalibrating editorial leadership amid shifting audience consumption patterns and increased digital overlap. For Times Now, bringing in a senior editor with both newsroom leadership and foreign policy credentials could signal a renewed push to strengthen its editorial depth beyond domestic political coverage.
In a parallel development, Navika Kumar will transition into the role of Consulting Editor. Kumar, one of the prominent faces of Times Now, is widely recognised for her political reporting and prime-time programming. Her sharp interview style and election coverage have been central to the channel’s identity during multiple national and state polls.
Leadership changes at the editorial level often reflect broader strategic adjustments. As television news channels contend with audience migration to digital platforms and streaming, the role of Managing Editor increasingly involves not just editorial oversight but brand positioning, cross-platform integration and newsroom agility.
Jacob’s move also underscores the fluid nature of senior talent within India’s broadcast news ecosystem. Networks frequently rely on recognisable editorial personalities to anchor credibility and maintain viewer loyalty in a fragmented media environment.
For Times Now, the combination of Jacob’s global affairs background and Kumar’s political reporting experience may represent an attempt to balance hard news authority with established prime-time strength. For News18, the transition marks the exit of a long-serving editorial leader closely associated with its international coverage.
As the reshuffle unfolds in April, the industry will be watching how the changes influence editorial tone, programming strategy and competitive dynamics within the English news space.
