News Broadcasting
Sameer Nair elevated to Star India COO
The man who is widely regarded as the creative brain behind the rise of Star Plus to its pre-eminent position in India’s channel stakes – Sameer Nair, executive V-P, head of content & communication, Star India – has just had a whole lot more added to his plate. Effective today, Nair is the chief operating officer (COO) of the Rupert Murdoch-promoted numero uno Indian cable and satellite TV network.
One immediate change that Nair’s promotion makes in the executive scheme of things is that Tarun Katial, V-P, programming Star Plus, Star Movies and Star World, will be devoting all his energies now to Star Plus. The new COO revealed that the next two months would be see some additional reorganisation.
Nair joined Star in 1994 in charge of Star Movies. Thereafter he moved on to lead movie acquisitions and headed the on-air promotion and presentation department. In 1999, Nair took over as the programming head of Star Plus and soon became the executive vice-president, programming for the whole network.
While Nair shares with Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea the credit for the phenomenal success of Kaun Banega Crorepati and making Star Plus the No 1 channel, the responsibility of getting Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan to host KBC was entirely his.
Born and brought up in Mumbai, Nair started his career with UDI Yellow Pages in Mumbai where he spent two years. He then moved on to spend another four years at Goldwire, an advertising agency in Chennai. Nair also worked as an independent ad filmmaker in Chennai for a year and a half.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
