News Broadcasting
Disney/ABC Names Pastor SVP, Strategy, Oversees Research
MUMBAI: Paul Pastor, who has helped manage Disney’s investment in Hulu and overseen digital and international initiatives, will add oversight of research for the ABC network and other properties to his portfolio.
He absorbs the duties held by Charles Kennedy, senior vice president of research, who is leaving the company to pursue another opportunity.
As senior vice president of strategy and consumer analytics for Disney/ABC Television Group, Pastor will report to Peter Seymour, the executive vice president and CFO of the division. His research responsibilities include ABC Family, ABC Studios and the Disney/ABC syndication arm in addition to the broadcast network.
He will continue to oversee strategic initiatives for the Disney/ABC groups along with customer relationship marketing and network media planning.
Seymour stated that with, “Digital proliferation, Big Data and rapidly evolving consumer behavior, the worlds of CRM, planning, strategy and research are increasingly interwoven.” He cited Pastor’s “close working relationship with our research teams and the ABC businesses” as a strong fit.
Kelly Pena, who oversees research for Disney Channels Worldwide, will continue in her role reporting to Seymour.
Pastor joined Disney in 2007 in a business development role for the Disney Channels and took his current role as vice president of strategy, CRM and media planning last fall.
Early in his career, he held positions at Accenture, a management consulting firm, and at Technicolor, where he was focused on the expansion of the firm’s gaming and animation services businesses into global markets.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
