News Broadcasting
CNN International may extend its brand name in the Indian market
NEW DELHI: CNN International, part of the Time Warner group, today said that the news channel is open to extending its brand name in the local (Indian) market, but has no immediate plans as of now, according to a senior company executive.
“We are open to the idea of extending our brand name in the local market and have talked to a variety of players. But as of now, I have no announcements to make,” CNN International MD Chris Cramer said here today when asked whether CNN is looking at having an Indian version of the 24-hour global news channel.
Cramer, along with Oberoi Hotels and Resorts deputy MD Vikram Oberoi, was announcing the details of an India-specific programme, called Eye on India, which will be on air from 4-12 September and focus on the world’s largest democracy and its rapidly changing role in the global political and business environment.
Oberoi Hotels is the presenting sponsor for the series, which will be hosted by some well-known CNN anchors like Jim Clancy and also feature Indian personalities like biotech queen and head of Biocon, Kiran Shaw Mazumdar and Bollywood star, Shah Rukh Khan.
News Broadcasting
Mihir Bhatt appointed as chief content officer at News18 Studios
The media veteran brings two decades of experience across television, digital and radio to one of India’s biggest broadcast networks, Disney+ Hotstar, Discovery+
NEW DELHI: Network18 has a new strategist in the building. Mihir Bhatt, one of Indian media’s more versatile operators, has joined News18 Studios as chief content officer, stepping into a role that will see him shape content strategy, build multi-platform properties and drive brand partnerships across the network.
Bhatt brings more than two decades of experience spanning television, digital and radio, with a track record of doing something rare in Indian media: combining editorial ambition with hard commercial results. At Times Network, where he served as managing editor and chief business officer of Times Influence, he built one of the industry’s more respected content studios, launching marquee properties such as the India Economic Conclave, the Times Now Summit and Leaders of Tomorrow. He also pushed the network into premium OTT territory through tie-ups with Disney+ Hotstar and Discovery+.
His resume stretches well beyond the studio. Bhatt has led Global Investor Summits for multiple state governments, worked alongside the World Economic Forum and played a pivotal role in launching the Indian Pickleball League. Earlier, as editor of Zee Business, he pioneered investor education initiatives that are still cited as industry benchmarks.
At News18 Studios, Bhatt will report to chief executive S Shivakumar and will oversee the studios execution vertical alongside revenue verticals covering emerging markets and campaigns. Sidharth Saini, Hemanth Kumar and Nimar Sarkaria will work under him.
Rahul Joshi, managing director and editor-in-chief of Network18 Group, made the announcement in an internal communication. “Mihir’s ability to build enduring brands, foster strategic partnerships and navigate a rapidly evolving media landscape will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our position and explore new avenues of growth in the Studios business,” Joshi said.
In a media industry lurching between disruption and reinvention, Network18 has bet on a man who has spent two decades thriving in exactly that chaos. Whether he can do it again, at greater scale, is the question worth watching.
