News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 gears up for Defence Town Hall on 28 June
MUMBAI: When the nation salutes its sentinels, it’s only fitting that the spotlight shines bright. CNN-News18 Town Hall is reporting for duty this Saturday, 28 June, with a power-packed Defence Edition that promises to march straight into the heart of India’s strategic pulse. Themed ‘Borders to Business – The Strength of Bharat’, the special programming pays tribute to India’s defence forces while diving deep into the evolving landscape of national security, self-reliance, and indigenous defence production. In true Town Hall style, expect sharp questions, sharper minds, and a salute to grit that goes beyond just rhetoric.
Airing from 3 pm across CNN-News18 TV, CTV, and Youtube, the event brings together top brass from the armed forces, leading defence scientists, and private sector innovators creating a rare, all-hands-on-deck moment for India’s military narrative.
Kicking things off, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, chief of integrated defence staff, will explore ‘The Age of Modern Warfare’, highlighting how battlefields are evolving and how India must respond. defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh follows with ‘Forging India’s Defence Independence’, outlining the government’s roadmap to self-reliance.
The soul of the event may just lie in the stirring session titled ‘From Sindoor to Seema’, where Assistant Commandant Neha Bhandari and three fellow women officers recount frontline experiences from Operation Sindoor, offering a ground-level view into courage under pressure.
It’s not all uniforms and medals the Town Hall also shines a light on India’s burgeoning private defence sector. Names like Lt. Gen Vinod G. Khandare (Retd.), Sudhir Mishra (ex-CEO, Brahmos Aerospace), B.K. Das (DG, DRDO), Maj Gen Vishal Saxena (Retd.), Smit Shah (Drone Federation of India), Maj Gen Indrabalan (R), Military Technology Advisor, Amber Wings and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria (Retd.) will decode what it takes to make ‘Made in India, Made for World’ more than just a slogan.
As Network18 CEO of English & Business News Smriti Mehra puts it, “We’re not just telling stories, we’re bringing alive India’s defence resurgence with the experts who’ve shaped it.”
CNN-News18 managing editor, Zakka Jacob added, “Operation Sindoor showcased India’s readiness and resolve. This Town Hall will honour that courage and spark the conversations India needs as national security and aatmanirbharta become central to our growth.”
From warzone learnings to workshop innovations, this edition captures it all from the borders to the boardrooms.
So, ready your remotes and set your reminders because when the channel says “attention”, the nation will be watching.
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News Broadcasting
GenNext takes charge as Network18 reshuffles leadership
With Avinash Kaul bowing out, Network18 hands reins to younger leaders, streamlines operations, and pushes data-driven growth across TV, digital and regional markets
MUMBAI: Network18 is redrawing its leadership map just as a long-time lieutenant bows out. Avinash Kaul, a central figure in the broadcaster’s rise since 2014, is leaving after 12 years to pursue “professional and personal goals”, triggering a broad-based reshuffle that puts a younger cohort directly under the top brass.
Kaul joined at a pivotal moment during the company’s transition and went on to scale the television business, combining strategic nous with data-led decision-making and a sharp read of the news landscape. “Avinash has been an integral part of the Network18 story,” the company said, thanking him for his leadership of the broadcast business and wishing him the best for the future.
In his wake, Network18 is betting on what it calls a “young and restless” leadership bench. “The team has taken charge and proved its mettle in quite adverse circumstances,” the note said, adding that “GenNext has seamlessly stepped in as we continue to outperform our peers.”
Operationally, the structure is being flattened. Smriti Mehra, S Shivakumar and Mitul Sangani will work directly with the top leadership, as they did in the fourth quarter. Ganesh Iyer and Abhinay Chauhan continue in their existing roles, while younger executives are being handed wider mandates across social, digital, connected TV and linear.
The reporting lines are being tightened to drive revenue and product momentum. Prabhat Chatterjee, business head–Forbes, and Arun Thapar, president–content and communication for AETN-18, will report to Smriti Mehra, alongside Mallika Nath Handa, who will lead special projects spanning new shows and non-linear properties. Jayesh Gokalgandhi, CFO for AETN-18, will report to Ramesh Damani.
Mitul Sangani will oversee expansion in Hindi and regional markets, with Sidharth Newatia, CRO–ILC, focusing on reach and revenue growth, particularly in tier-II and III markets. Pankaj Soni, head of marketing–ILC, will also report to Sangani while working functionally with Ganesh Iyer.
The group is also consolidating its branded content play. Moneycontrol’s branded content business will be folded into News18 Studio, with Don Zarrar moving to work with Shivakumar while continuing to lead existing studio and Focus teams.
International and platform growth are being bundled together. Pranav Bakshi takes on additional charge of the international business alongside connected TV and social platforms, with Naveen Mathur, who leads revenue management for the international unit, reporting to him. Bakshi continues to report to Puneet Singhvi.
On the technology and operations side, Rajesh Sharma, head of broadcast technology and IT; Rahul Singh, head of events and technical operations; and Bhupender Bhardwaj, head of IT security, will now report to Singhvi. Darshil Parekh, head of sales strategy, planning and operations, will work directly with Ramesh Damani and the top leadership, with Stanley Cyril, who manages digital sales operations, reporting to him.
Data is being pushed to the centre of decision-making. Jitamitra Mohanty, who leads research and analytics, will now work with Santosh Menon to turn audience data into “actionable insights that drive content strategy, product innovation and sustainable viewership growth”.
The message is clear: fewer layers, faster calls, sharper bets. With Kaul’s exit closing one chapter, Network18 is handing the wheel to a younger crew and doubling down on scale across screens. The race, it signals, will be run at full tilt.
