News Broadcasting
CNN US’ original series ‘The Murdochs: Empire of Influence’ to air in September
Mumbai: News broadcaster CNN US has announced that The Murdochs: Empire of Influence will air on the cable network next month. Produced by Left/Right and The New York Times, this will be about the media family and their complicated history. CNN will launch this original series with a special two-episode premiere on 25 September.
Based on Jonathan Mahler and Jim Rutenberg’s New York Times Magazine article, “How Rupert Murdoch’s Empire of Influence Remade the World,” this CNN original series explores the legacy of media mogul Rupert Murdoch and the dynasty he built. Featuring reporting from The New York Times, interviews with people who worked inside the Murdoch companies, and decades of archival footage, this seven-part series goes behind the scenes of the improbable rise of a media tycoon, his outsized influence around the globe, and the intense succession battle between his children over who will inherit his throne.
The Murdochs: Empire of Influence charts the high-stakes deal making, political maneuvering, and dynastic betrayals that shaped one of the largest media empires in history. The series will regularly air on Sundays on CNN.
The Murdochs: Empire of Influence will stream live for pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN OTT, and mobile apps under “TV Channels” or “CNNgo” where available. The series will also be available on demand the day after the broadcast premiere to pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN apps, and cable operator platforms.
The CNN original series group develops non-scripted programming for television via commissioned projects, acquisitions, and in-house production.
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.
