News Broadcasting
BBC Worldwide appoints Global Licensing as agent for key brands
MUMBAI: The British pubic broadcaster BBC’s commercial arm BBC Worldwide Australasia has appointed Global Licensing NZ as its merchandise representative for its hit properties Doctor Who, Top Gear and In the Night Garden.
Global Licensing will hold exclusive merchandise rights, including rights for both the classic and new series of Doctor Who. Toys of Doctor Who will be launched this month at The Warehouse, Kmart, Farmers and Toy World, including the famous Cyberman Voice Changer Helmet, the UK’s Toy of the Year, 2006.
Global Licensing is expected to appoint local partners for all properties across a broad range of categories including apparel, accessories and games ranges.
Doctor Who first aired in 1963, and was re-launched in 2005. A co-production between BBC Wales and CBC in Canada, the fourth series is about to go into production in Cardiff. Series 3 will air on Prime, New Zealand’s third free-to-air network, from August.
Top Gear has consistently been the most watched programme on BBC2 in the UK. Now seen in more than 120 countries around the world, it has become famous for its combination of wit, irreverence and unbiased honesty.
In the Night Garden is currently airing on TV2 in New Zealand. Filmed in real woodland, the programme weaves together the very latest technical innovations in live-character costume technology and computer animation to create a compelling experience for young viewers. 17 licensees are already in place in the UK.
A full merchandise programme is planned in New Zealand to complement the launch and other existing platforms. Hasbro, the master toy licensee, has announced an October toy launch, apart from books from Penguin and DVDs from Roadshow.
Global Licensing NZ is planning an early 2008 launch for an extensive apparel range, and will roll out home wares, apparel accessories, stationery, footwear, bags, games and puzzles.
Global Licensing NZ head Mark Paul says, “Doctor Who has a long history in New Zealand and the success of the new TV series and UK merchandising programme will provide some great opportunities for NZ retailers and licensees. For Top Gear we intend to create a comprehensive lifestyle programme with products and promotions appealing to the whole family. In The Night Garden is a fantastic production and we anticipate great demand for infant/preschool products beginning with the new toy line from Hasbro”.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
