News Broadcasting
Dave Sibley is MTV Australia MD
MUMBAI: MTV Asia-Pacific president Nigel Robbins has announced that Dave Sibley is MTV Australia MD.
Sibley will be responsible for leading the charge of MTV and VH1’s businesses in both the pay television and digital media worlds throughout Australia and New Zealand, as well as sit on the board for Nickelodeon Australia, a joint venture between MTV and XYZ Entertainment. Sibley takes up this post in July.
Sibley has a decade of service with MTV International, having most recently served as senior VP and GM, international marketing partnerships in London. In this role, he pioneered the marketing partnerships model, a concept born of Sibley’s belief in the need for a more creative and innovative approach to client engagement with brand media. MTV is now acknowledged across the globe as a leader in this field.
Robbins says, “Dave’s leadership history with MTV Networks makes him an ideal choice to take the charge and continue to develop our businesses in Australia and New Zealand, as well as capitalize upon the brands’ momentum and growth. With MTV’s profile at an all time high and VH1’s growing fan base, Dave’s appointment comes at not only an exciting time for our company but a high-growth period for the pay television industry as a whole.”
Sibley says, “To take the reins of a business as robust as MTV Networks Australia during this time of growth is a real thrill, and I’m very excited about helping further the connection MTV and VH1 have with their audiences, advertisers and business partners. MTV now has truly established itself in Australia as the premier brand for youth, thanks to the commitment of a very talented team. I’m looking forward to capitalizing on this trajectory and taking our businesses to the next level of growth.”
Sibley will report directly to Robbins and be based at the company’s Sydney headquarters.
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.
