News Broadcasting
BBC Worldwide has a new business development head
MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide, the commercial consumer arm of the BBC, has appointed Sandra Braun as its head of New Business Development for Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA).
Braun has been promoted to this new position to oversee all the strategic new business development initiatives across TV, publishing, new media and channels in the region. Business areas range from the rapidly developing Video-on-Demand market, broadband and interactive TV to mobile and hand-held devices, digital cinema and website syndication. Sandra will also look at opportunities for sponsorship and cross-promotions in these markets.
According to a release, Braun will reporting directly to EMEIA’s Managing Director Mark Young. She will also work closely with EMEIA’s sales teams across all territories to ensure that the cross-divisional synergies between various businesses are optimised and efficiently implemented. Additionally, she will identify new business opportunities, evaluate their strategic importance for BBC Worldwide and oversee their implementation.
The release also stated that one of Braun’s recent initiatives was to develop the mobile voting service for the Top Of The Pops Awards in the German speaking markets. The scheme involved making available the same voting mechanism across TV, Teletext, Internet and the ‘Top Of The Pops Magazine’ and proved to be very successful.
The release also mentioned that Braun, an MBA degree from the Oxford Brookes University, joined BBC Worldwide in 1998 from her native Germany, where she worked as Foreign Rights Manager with publishers Ullstein Buchverlage.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
