Express News (TV channel)

Express News HD
	based in Lahore Pakistan
Country	Pakistan
Broadcast area	South Asia, Middle East, America, UAE, UK, Ireland, India, Bangladesh Europe
Headquarters	Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Programming
Language(s)	Urdu
Picture format	(1080p 16:9 MPEG-4, HDTV)
Ownership
Owner	Television Media Network (Private) Limited (Lakson Group)
Sister channels	Express Entertainment ; Tribune 24/7
History
Launched	January 1, 2008; 16 years ago
Links
Website	express.pk
Availability
Streaming media
Express News Live	Watch Live

Express News is an Urdu language Pakistani television news channel based in Lahore, launched on 1 January 2008.^[1]^[2]^[3] It is owned by Lakson Group which also runs the country's third largest Urdu daily newspaper, Daily Express. The owners of the channel, launched 'Express 24/7', a 24-hour Pakistani English news channel on 5 February 2009.^[1]

History

At its inception, the news channel introduced a comprehensive fleet of DSNG vans for live coverage across the country, reflecting the parent company's strategy for the Daily Express, which prioritized regional news through local editions.^[1] While initially successful, attracting viewers seeking local and regional news and ranking as the second most-watched news channel in Pakistan, this advantage gradually declined as other channels also started providing extensive live local news coverage.^[1]

The launch of Express News also coincided with a dispute between Jang Group and the then-serving president, Pervez Musharraf. Geo News underwent a temporary shutdown and had its main talk shows banned.^[1] Express News utilized this circumstance to expand its viewership, focusing on immediate and location-specific news coverage.^[1]

Editorial stance

The channel maintains a balanced, market-friendly editorial approach and integrates entertainment into its current affairs coverage.^[1] It displays a conservative socio-political leaning and a supportive attitude towards security and intelligence agencies.^[1] However, these elements occasionally lead to significant self-censorship, directed by Sultan Ali Lakhani, aiming to maintain favorable relations with influential bodies and religious establishments.^[1]