News Broadcasting
AMERICA UNDER ATTACK: THE VIEW FROM CNN
The debate between the two CNN network heads lasted ten seconds. “Is it appropriate for us to use the phrase America Under Attack on the screen?” asked one. “Well what the hell else is this?” was the response. It was not a day for discussion on the finer points of journalism.
I have been in BBC newsrooms as the Challenger Shuttle blew up, as the Berlin wall fell, as the first searing pictures from Ethiopia and its famine were broadcast.
And of course, 10 years ago when the US and its allies started to bombard Baghdad.
And then in 1997, I stood in a control room at CNN as confirmation came that the Princess of Wales had died in Paris.
But none of this prepared me for the look of horror on my colleagues’ faces and the stunned silence as that second aircraft slammed into the World Trade Center yesterday. And then came the news that a third aircraft had hit the Pentagon and a fourth Boeing 757 had come down somewhere near Pennsylvania.
Even with the experience CNN has gained in 21 years, this unprecedented terrorist attack against the United States tested even our resources Here at CNN’s Atlanta headquarters, the first airliner crashed into the World Trade Center during our morning editorial conference – when representatives from all CNN channels and services come together to plan their broadcast day. Within minutes the News Group’s US and oversees services – 35 across television, internet, radio and mobile phones, in numerous languages, available to almost a billion people – were covering the tragedy. We decided that one single CNN channel should broadcast to all audiences around the world.
The descriptions used on and off air in those first few hours of coverage seemed somehow inadequate. The worst terrorist attack on America ever. The worst assault since Pearl Harbour? The largest modern day media operation since the coverage of the Gulf War?
Even with the experience CNN has gained in 21 years, this unprecedented terrorist attack against the United States tested even our resources. The logistics of getting staff to New York and Washington literally became a road race, as airports across America shut down. But we were able to fulfill our obligations, not just to the CNN family of networks who turned to us for help. This was not a day for the competitive edge. People take for granted that CNN was first in America and around the world with the story – and it was. They take for granted that the first live pictures and subsequent reportage was the best.
Our coverage was immediately made available to all news organizations, those under contract and those who were not.
CNN has undergone some painful – and necessary – restructuring in the past year. More than 400 colleagues, 10 per cent of the workforce, have been made redundant. Yet on Tuesday dozens of those laid off rang to offer their newsgathering services. Others just turned up.
Amidst the madness of yesterday’s atrocity, many of us found that a very humbling experience.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
