News Broadcasting
BBC Worldwide opens production outfit in France
MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide has announced the opening of a production office in Paris, France.
The local production base will build up BBC Worldwide formats in this key territory and is part of the company’s wider strategy to establish a network of production offices throughout the world.
BBC Worldwide Productions France will be headed by Jean-Louis Blot, who will be working with all of the local terrestrial networks to grow the company’s French production business.
As director of the new production office, Jean-Louis will report to BBC Worldwide Content and Production director of international formats Colin Jarvis and will be supported by Cécile Lamarque, who joins as development executive and will oversee production.
Jarvis said, “France is a key market for us. Establishing a thriving production base in this major European territory fits into our strategy to position BBC Worldwide as a leading global content network.
“Through the success of our Sales & Distribution office, BBC Worldwide enjoys a strong relationship with all of the major broadcasters in France and we look forward to extending this to local production.
“I’m pleased to welcome Jean-Louis onboard, he has the background and experience to develop our production office into a prominent player in the French market.
BBC Worldwide Productions France director Jean-Louis Blot says, “I’m very excited to be part of BBC Worldwide’s production plans in France as they have one of the richest catalogues in the world. My first priority will be to establish a production team.”
BBC Worldwide Productions France will work alongside BBC Worldwide’s sales and distribution team in France, managed by Tim Muff, which continues to oversee all of the company’s programme distribution, publishing and licensing activity in France.
BBC Worldwide has a history of licensing British formats in France, including The Weakest Link, Top of the Pops, Great French and The Office.
The Paris production office is BBC Worldwide’s latest in a growing network of production bases, the others being in Los Angeles, New York, Mumbai, Toronto and Sydney.
Blot joins BBC Worldwide Productions France from Air Productions, where he was Head of Development as well as a producer.
At Air Productions, he produced two of France’s most popular game shows: Don’t Forget the Lyrics and Tout le Monde veut prendre sa Place. Lamarque joins BBC Worldwide France Productions from Fremantlemedia where she worked on the launch and development of series such as Jamie’s Kitchen, Supernanny, How Clean is Your House? and The Farmer Wants A Wife.
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.
