News Broadcasting
BBC invites Time Warner, Disney, Bertelsmann for BBC Worldwide sale
MUMBAI: The BBC is looking to sell its commercial sales and publishing division BBC Worlwide. For this purpose it has invited bids from Time Warner, Disney and Germany’s Bertelsmann.
A report in The Financial Times has indicated that executives from the three parties will to hold talks with the BBC in the coming weeks.
Assets up for grabs include the BBC America and BBC Prime channels, along with 26 magazine titles, merchandising operations and the broadcaster’s overseas programme sales unit.
However BBC DG Mark Thompson has played down the likelihood of BBC Worldwide being privatised. “We are looking at BBC Worldwide with open minds. But it is not a foregone conclusion that we are talking about large-scale sell-offs” Thompson said in an interview published in the Independent.
The question that arises as regards India is how the sale will affect the deal that BBC Worldwide hatched earlier this year with The Times Of India Group.
The 50:50 JV that had been announced in April was to produce and market magazines from both companies in India. However in a recent interview with Indiantelevision.com Times Group.president Arun Arora said that the deal was awaiting government clearance.
As far as the proposed sale is concerned it is being considered as part of an internal review following the fallout from last year’s Hutton inquiry report. BBC executives believe that the Worldwide division could be worth up to $3.55 billion. BBC Worldwide employs 2,200 people. The sale could result in layoffs.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
