News Broadcasting
CNN reduces Hong Kong headcount by 9
MUMBAI: Major organisational restructuring is currently underway at CNN International. As in a lot of cases, this one will leave a few people hunting for jobs. The broadcaster’s Hong Kong bureau has laid off up nine production staff members and also dropped at least eight freelancers.
Reports indicate that reporters, anchors and technical staff have not been affected by the job losses. Meanwhile the Atlanta headquarters will also reduce the production team headcount by 20. However, anchors do not have to worry about being without a job.
A report in the South China Morning Post indicated that CNN’s European headquarters in London could also see cutbacks.
When queried whether the cuts have come about as a result of the broadcaster implementing the Digital News Gathering (DNG) system, a CNN spokesperson replied, “The cutbacks are not as a result of the DNG system. We are making smarter use of the technology and staff available to better serve our audiences . The new technology, developed for and by CNN, enables correspondents to be more proactive in filing their stories, and enhance their ability to respond quickly to breaking news as it happens.”
DNG allows reporters to perform multi-tasking as video correspondents. They report the news and shoot it on camera. The new DNG system which combines new lightweight cameras and advanced satellite and Internet communications technology was pioneered by CNN’s New Delhi Bureau and will now be used by all 28 international bureaus.
The spokesperson, meanwhile, denied that the new developments would lead to shifting of production work done out of Hong Kong being shifted to London and Atlanta. “The production output will continue, as before, from Hong Kong and we will continue to broadcast 30 hours a week of programming from Hong Kong — with prime-time morning and evening news programmes plus the popular chat show Talk Asia. There will be no impact on what the viewers see on CNNI,” the spokesperson clarified.
CNN International recently reorganised its newsgathering operations to make more use of staff in its news hubs in London and Atlanta.
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.
