News Broadcasting
BBC strengthens drama production team
MUMBAI: BBC has announced that BBC Drama Production has made changes to build on the success of an increasing number of new commissions, re-commissions, the opening of a new hub in Manchester led by Phil Collinson, and a major expansion for the Writers Academy programme.
BBC Drama Production has seen a boom in work over the past 12 months, with series such as Five Days and The Curse Of Comedy, Cranford and The Passion, Oliver Twist and Lark Rise alongside its regular returning slate including EastEnders, Waking The Dead.
Its next major series House Of Saddam is due for transmission on 30 July on BBC Two. Drama Production currently operates from major bases in London and Elstree, Birmingham and Bristol and has recently added Manchester.
Vision Productions head Peter Salmon said, “The brilliant recent performance of BBC Drama Production is one of the big success stories of in-house programme-making.
“To cope with the pressures of their growing business, I have asked Nicolas Brown to lead the senior team as Director, Drama Production, and set out their strategy for the next few years, including growing the slate of titles, driving production modernisation and building commercial revenue.
“He will sit on the board of Vision Productions to make sure drama gets the credit and profile it needs to continue to deliver strongly. He leads an outstanding top team.”
As part of the changes, John Yorke becomes controller, Drama Production and New Talent. While remaining editorially responsible for the Continuing Drama Series, all currently enjoying ratings and award success, he will also spearhead a four-fold expansion in activity for writer, producer, director and script editor training.
John will oversee an expansion of Writers Academy to the Nations and Regions and by drawing in the BBC Writersroom, lead a much more co-ordinated approach to training.
Kate Rowlands (Creative Director, New Writing) will work alongside John to ensure that writers’ training is linked up across the whole of the UK.
Kate Harwood, who has been behind such successes as Cranford, Oliver Twist and The Passion, will take on responsibility for the department’s single films, and becomes Controller, Series and Serials, BBC Drama Production.
She is editorially responsible for series, serials and singles across the whole of Drama Production. Kate’s team are currently working on some of the highlights of the BBC One Autumn schedule, including new productions of Survivors, Little Dorrit and Tess of the D’Urbevilles, as well as the return of Silent Witness and Lark Rise To Candleford which returns in Winter 2009.
Kate, John and Phil Collinson, who have just started work leading the Manchester hub of Drama Production, will now report managerially to Nicolas Brown in his role as Director, Drama Production – who has responsibility for the delivery of the creative, production and financial strategy across the whole department – and sit on the Drama Production Board.
Salmon said,”These changes have become urgent at a time when the ambitions of in-house drama have resulted in its most successful period for years.
“Editorially, the department is at the top of its game, enjoying a growing slate of ambitious productions, BBC One’s Criminal Justice being just the latest. All this increases our need to plan long term and develop and manage more strategically.
“The expansion of the hugely influential Writers Academy spearheaded by John and the creation of a new production centre in Manchester led by Phil, will help ensure that we build on our recent creative successes and get the best value for money from all in-house drama production.”
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.
