News Broadcasting
BBC World explores the ‘Ad World’ with new series
MUMBAI: BBC World is now exploring the advertising sector by focussing on a whole new show Ad World which see its sight at what really goes on behind the scenes in the glamorous world of advertising.
Ad World is a new seven-part series which will take a look at the stories, the myths and some of the brains behind India’s best-known advertising campaigns.
The series which is a part of BBC World’s India Business Report programme strand, begins on Sunday, 7 March at 11.00 am. The series will be aired every Sunday at 11 am with a repeat telecast at 10 pm on the same day.
BBC World commissioning editor Narendhra Morar says, “For many people in India, the advertising industry still seems like a mysterious world. This series, the first review of the state of the industry, now aims to arm businesspeople with the information they need about the world of advertising and bust a few myths along the way.”The series launches with an overview of India’s advertising sector, before exploring sometimes controversial issues in each of its following six episodes:
Episode One (7 March): The Indian advertising industry – never had it so good? The industry has seen phenomenal growth since the liberalisation of the Indian economy and markets are expanding. But the size of the industry, compared to other developing countries, is still quite small. The episode also gives an overview of Indian advertising over the last fifty odd years.
Episode Two (14 March): Ad war or cat-fight? This episode focuses on those celebrated brand rivalries such as Coke-Pepsi and Ariel-Surf Excel and their advertising clashes and tries to find an answer to whether campaigns are becoming more ‘in-your face’ to gain attention?
Episode Three (21 March): Woman Power: selling to women – and using women to sell to men. This episode will also look at the effects of this phenomenon from the point of view both of the advertising community and of the social scientist.
Episode Four (28 March): This episode tackles the question – When is advertising not advertising? It also explores the ethics and pitfalls of advertising law and how to avoid them. The episode goes inside the mind of a media planner, whose role is critical in navigating difficult issues such as cigarette and alcohol advertising.
Episode Five (4 April): Make mine Indian-style – how have the multinationals and their agencies coped with having to adapt to the famous ‘Indian Conditions’ – or perish?
Episode Six (11 April): Big money, big names – This episode gives a peek at why big stars are chosen to endorse different brands and whether their high fees is justified?
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.
