News Broadcasting
BBC to launch its first world news hub
MUMBAI: BBC has integrated its international expertise into one central world news hub. BBC World News television, BBC’s world online and newsgathering teams and representatives from BBC World Service radio and online will combine forces to support the BBC’s international news services.
BBC World News television is also launching a new hour-long World News Today with Mishal Hussain which targets the evening peak audience across Asia Pacific.
The show will bring viewers up-to-date with the latest global, regional news, analysis and interviews.
BBC World News will begin broadcasting from its new studio at BBC Television Centre in London. The new larger studio design has been created to fit with the recent channel rebrand, and will showcase a more creative on-screen look and incorporate bolder visuals. The studio has a large graphics screen and presenters will use a new ‘soft set’ area for lighter live interviews. The set aims to create a more vibrant and flexible environment for both breaking news reports and longer-form news programming, allowing presenters to take a more informal approach standing in front of the big screen.
Finally, the 10 pm news programme will also change from its regular half-hour format to an hour-long show to include more live events and breaking news.
BBC World News News head Richard Porter says, “We’ve already made some significant changes this year with our new name of BBC World News and the channel rebrand. Now our international news talent is in one location, we can further strengthen our output across TV, online and radio platforms. These changes, along with the new studio and news programming, demonstrate our commitment to providing viewers with the best international news and information available.”
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
