News Broadcasting
BBC announces factual commissioning appointments
MUMBAI: The BBC is undergoing a major change in its sytems and processes. One of the aims is to pave the way for a new, fairer one-stop shop commissioning system for in-house and independent producers alike. Therefore it has appointed three new commissioners for factual programmes across its four television channels in the UK.
Emma Swain becomes the commissioning editor for specialist factual. She will be responsible for history, natural history and science; Adam Kemp will be the commissioning editor for Arts, Performance and Religion. Meanwhile, Richard Klein takes on the new role of commissioning editor for documentaries. The new team will take up their posts on 4 April 2005.
One post of commissioner of factual features remains vacant, and external applications will now be invited. Swain will commission factual features in the interim. The five new commissioning editors will commission their own part of the slate and will report to the controller of factual television Glenwyn Benson. He said, “I am very pleased to have been able to assemble such a strong, experienced and creatively bold team. Each of them will have direct responsibility for commissioning programmes from both BBC in-house production and independents, which will ensure that that everyone has direct and equal access to the commissioning process.
BBC television director Jana Bennett said: “This structure creates a simple one-stop shop and puts the best in-house and independent ideas in open competition. The factual restructure is integral to the significant overhaul of the BBC’s commissioning system I announced last December, which has included restructuring of the Drama and Entertainment commissioning teams announced in recent weeks. It also prepares the BBC to introduce greater competitive space in its commissioning through the proposed Window of Creative Competition (Wocc).
“The new and streamlined commissioning structure for Television, together with our plans for new processes including developing faster turnaround times and greater information sharing with the creative community, will deliver audiences the richest content from the best programme makers.”
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 to spotlight India’s global rise
PM Modi keynotes two-day event on 27–28 February in New Delhi with ministers, diplomats and icons.
MUMBAI: India’s rise isn’t just making headlines, it’s headlining its own summit, and this time the guest list reads like a global power playlist. News18 Network will host the Rising Bharat Summit 2026, a high-powered thought-leadership forum anchored around the theme “Spotlighting Bharat’s Rise: Driven by Strength Within.” The two-day event kicks off on 27 February 2026 at 10:00 AM in New Delhi, bringing together policymakers, diplomats, business leaders, strategists, innovators, and cultural icons for conversations that aim to define India’s confident, self-assured role on the world stage.
Prime minister Narendra Modi will deliver the keynote address, setting the tone for discussions on economic momentum, geopolitical positioning, and long-term aspirations for the decade ahead.
The ministerial lineup includes Piyush Goyal (Commerce and Industry), Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, Information & Broadcasting, Electronics & IT), Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (Communications & Development of North Eastern Region), and Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta.
Global diplomacy and strategic voices feature former Singapore foreign minister George Yeo, ex-UK Chief of defence staff general Sir Nick Carter, former US commerce secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez, and ambassadors from Norway (May-Elin Stener), Germany (Philipp Ackermann), and Sweden (Jan Thesleff).
Industry, innovation, and economic perspectives come from veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems Founder & CEO Dr Vishal Sikka, and Deeptech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati.
Defence, technology, and thought leadership include Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar, Apple expert Patrick McGee, military aviation historian Tom Cooper, and defence scholar Adrian Fontanellaz.
Culture, sports, and popular influence bring actor-MP Kangana Ranaut, Olympic medallists Saina Nehwal and PR Sreejesh, cricketers Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Mithali Raj, plus film stars Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
Broadcast live across News18 Network channels, CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz, and streaming platforms from 10:00 am on both days, the summit aims to move beyond headlines and shape deeper narratives around policy, leadership, and innovation at a decisive moment for India’s global trajectory.
In a world watching Bharat’s next moves, this gathering isn’t just talk, it’s the opening scene of a story that’s already rewriting the script.
