News Broadcasting
ABC News lands exclusive Martha Stewart interview
LOS ANGLES: Domestic diva Martha Stewart has described her fears in an exclusive interview with ABCNews’ Barbara Walters. The wide-ranging interview addresses the controversy around Stewart as she prepares to go to trial and will air on ABCNews’ 20/20 in early November.
Martha Stewart talks with ABCNews’ Barbara Walters (Pic courtesy: www.abcnews.go.com)In her only interview since being indicted for her sale of ImClone stock, and before going to trial in January 2004, Stewart tells Walters, “Who wouldn’t be scared? Of course I’m scared. The last place I would ever want to go is prison. And I don’t think I will be going to prison, though.” However ABC News did not make a transcript of Walters’ interview but released only one quote from her remarks.
Stewart and broker Peter Bacanovic were charged in a nine-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury. The Securities and Exchange Commission also filed a civil securities fraud lawsuit against the pair, accusing them of illegal insider trading.
The lifestyles maven had been under investigation for selling almost 4,000 shares of ImClone in December 2001, shortly before the Food and Drug Administration rejected the company’s application for approval of a colon cancer drug. The FDA rejection sent ImClone’s stock plummeting.
Criminal charges against Stewart include making false statements, and obstruction of justice. Charges against Bacanovic include perjury and obstruction, according to a statement from the US attorney’s office in Manhattan. Stewart has not been charged with perjury.
Martha Stewart and her former stockbroker pleaded not guilty on 4 June 2003, to the charges stemming from her sale of the stock. Stewart stepped down as CEO of her company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., which publishes her magazine and a line of home products for the Kmart retail chain, in June, but remains on the board.
The Stewart segment is touted as the first broadcast TV interview she has granted since her June indictment on obstruction of justice charges and the only one she plans to give before she goes on trial in January. She has denied any wrongdoing.
Stewart is a close friend of former ImClone chief executive Sam Waksal, who was sentenced in June to 87 months in prison for tax evasion and his role in the insider trading case.
Last month, ABC scored another journalistic coup by landing the first prime-time network interview with Jessica Lynch, the former Army private who was taken prisoner, badly wounded and later rescued during the US war in Iraq. That interview, with Diane Sawyer, is slated to air on 11 November.
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.
