News Broadcasting
‘CNN Style’ launches on CNN International from 9 April
MUMBAI: ‘CNN Style’ is coming to TV screens from 9 April, 15 years after the iconic Elsa Klensch was last on the network, and on the back of style being reimagined for the digital age in 2015 with the launch of cnn.com/style.
The first 30-minute monthly CNN Style show will air on CNN International from 9 April fronted by journalist and author Derek Blasberg. With exclusive access to the biggest names and events, Blasberg will bring the worlds of art, luxury, fashion, autos, architecture and design to life for CNN’s global audience. He will build on the unique legacy of style on CNN – epitomised by the iconic Elsa Klensch who defined style for viewers around the world for over 20 years.
In 2016, ‘CNN Style’ will be at the definitive events in the style calendar – biennales, expos, fashion weeks, design festivals. The launch episode focuses on the contemporary art world, set against the backdrop of Asia’s pre-eminent international art fair, Hong Kong Art Basel.
The show has a lot offer. For example, in her first major international TV interview in almost two years, the undisputed queen of the art world Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad Bin Khalifa AL- thani, sister of the Emir of Qatar and chairman of the Qatar Museums, speaks to CNN about her role in preserving and growing the family’s extraordinary collection of art.
‘CNN Style’ isn’t just a monthly TV show – its multi-media content will feature right across the CNN International network, with new segments and reports all under the ‘CNN Style’ banner. The first of these will be The Invitation – a regular feature that will air in prime time shows CNN Today and The World Right Now with Hala Gorani. Starting on April 20, CNN invites viewers to experience the personal workspace and headspace of the world’s most celebrated creatives, the homes they design, the runways they furnish, the exhibition spaces they fill.
The return to TV follows the successful launch of ‘CNN Style’ on digital in July 2015. Since then, cnn.com/style has become a global destination that has collaborated with guest editors from Olivier Rousteing to Daniel Libeskind and Glenn Lowry, commissioned stylised content for CNN digital platforms and direct to social media, attracted a range of luxury advertisers and built a large audience with an average of 5.5 million unique users every month.
Ellana Lee, Senior Vice President, CNN International, said; “We are taking inspiration from CNN’s rich past in style and reverse engineering the DNA from our hugely successful digital product to bring ‘CNN Style’ to TV viewers worldwide. With Derek Blasberg at the helm, our mission is to interview the most interesting people at the definitive events. This will be a surprising and elegant journey through the concepts and worlds of style.”
Derek Blasberg said: “Style is so much more than getting dressed, or looking at pictures on a wall. Artistic expression comes in a variety of mediums and is an international, multi-billion dollar a year industry. What I’m excited about with ‘CNN Style’ is peeling back the layers of the worlds of art, architecture and design, and taking hard looks at the fashion, luxury and automotive industries to show how they affect the world at large. My career has introduced me to creative people from all walks of life, and it’ll be a pleasure to bring them to viewers around the world.”
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.
