News Broadcasting
BBC Worldwide global channels appoints Anne Howarth as SVP
MUMBAI: Anne Howarth is BBC Worldwide global channels senior vice president. She is the first senior management appointment for this division.
Anne joins Worldwide from the BBC and will be responsible for the strategic direction of BBC Worldwide’s international television channels business, as well as the development and growth of its portfolio of channels, currently 18 wholly owned and joint venture television channels, available in 324 million homes around the world.
She has already begun working with BBC Worldwide global channels MD Darren Childs, on a new strategy for BBC Worldwide’s TV channels business. The strategy will roll out in 2006 and will gradually develop BBC Worldwide’s portfolio of TV channels in both existing and new markets.
Childs said, “Anne brings to this role a wealth of expertise. She has played key roles in transforming business into focused, robust operations as well as successfully closing major deals. We are embarking on an unprecedented period of growth around the world and Anne will be instrumental in delivering this growth.”
Howarth said, “The BBC brand is one of the most respected around the world, and in the UK, its name is synonymous with high-quality, engaging programming. Our new strategy will engender the same feeling with our international audiences, building a strong portfolio of channels that engage and entertain audiences worldwide and it is tremendously exciting to be joining BBC Worldwide TV channels at this time.”
Prior to this, Howarth had been with the BBC where she most recently played a leading role in the sale of BBC Broadcast now known as Red Bee Ltd, to Macquarie Bank. The sale won Acquisition Monthly’s award for the best mid-market corporate deal of 2005.
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.
