News Broadcasting
Republic TV, BTVI join hands for budget coverage
MUMBAI: Republic TV, spearheaded by Arnab Goswami, and Business Television India (BTVI) have entered into an alliance for content and programming around Union Budget 2018. The Republic TV- BTVI alliance promises to offer viewers a distinctive experience. In the days ahead, both partners will work together to combine their respective domain knowledge around Union Budget 2018 programming.
Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani said, “Union Budget 2018 is the most anticipated budget, with major announcements expected one year post demonetisation and GST implementation. Republic TV, along with BTVI, will bring together leading financial experts across sectors, think-tanks, global investors and the country’s best editorial minds to present the most insightful and sharp perspective of the Budget.”
Despite a decline in viewership in the news genre, Republic TV has managed to maintain its pole position in ratings.
BTVI COO Megha Tata said, “We are very excited about this association. Republic TV’s credibility in news coverage and BTVI’s expertise in English business news space will create a unique proposition for the viewers of Union Budget 2018. With the two forces joining hands, I am very confident about delivering an all-around perspective to our viewers.”
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.
