News Broadcasting
Chabin re-appointed as Promax/BDA CEO for 5 more years
MUMBAI: Promax/BDA CEO Jim Chabin has got his tenure extended for five more years. This was announced by Promax/BDA chairmen Michael Benson (ABC Television Network) and Steve Kazanjian (DZN Media).
Recognising his invaluable contributions to revitalising the world’s premiere trade organization for promotion, marketing and design professionals in electronic media, Jim Chabin, chief executive officer for the associations since 2002, has agreed to remain with the organization until 2010, said the joint-announcement.
“As a non-profit association, Promax/BDA has been challenged to raise the profile and quality of work produced by our industry at a time when competition is unrelenting, budgets are constantly scrutinized and time is the enemy,” said Benson. “Jim not only stepped into a difficult position, he stepped up to the plate, inspiring our members and reminding the industry as a whole that the exchange of information, experience and ideas makes all of us better and, in turn, benefits the companies we work for and with. We have the utmost faith in Jim’s ability to build this organization for the future of our industry.”
Added Kazanjian: “Our goal as an organization is to identify the competitive challenges facing our members and their companies and to target practical ways of meeting them. In the three years that Jim has been back at the helm, he has met and expanded on those goals while also reaching out to and encouraging the next generation of promotion, marketing, and design professionals. We’re fortunate to have him on our team and look forward to the next five years.”
“We often hear that if we love our work, are passionate about what we do, we will be successful,” said Chabin. “I am deeply passionate about the vital role that marketing, promotion and design play in the global marketplace and take great pride in trumpeting the achievements of individual members and our community as a whole. And while there are still real challenges and hurdles to conquer, I believe we can mine the collective intelligence of these two organizations to develop and share manageable solutions that will propel the art of marketing and promotion to unimaginable accomplishments.”
Chabin originally served as president of the Promax/BDA organization from 1992 to 1999. Later he joined the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. During his three year absence, the industry faced widespread economic downturn which had a significant impact on the promotion, marketing and design community. Turning to the man who was largely responsible for catapulting the associations into the worldwide spotlight, Promax/BDA Board of Directors wooed Chabin back to spearhead a revitalisation of the organization in November of 2002, states an official release.
Under Chabin’s leadership over the past three years, the associations have expanded the global reach of the organization with the addition of conferences and award programs in Arabia, China and India in addition to invigorating annual events already held for members in North America, Europe, Latin America and the UK. Promax/BDA is also expanding into Africa and the Russian broadcast market. The organization also introduced international one-day promotion and marketing seminars in many key Asian territories last year including Bangkok, Manila, Hong Kong and Jakarta, the release adds.
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.







