News Broadcasting
Ease up media sector: US to India
NEW DELHI: With the Indian government liberalizing foreign investment norms in quite a few sectors, the US companies are now mounting pressure to further open up the media sector here.
The need of the hour, a US Chamber of Commerce communiqué to the US government says, is that foreign investment norms in the Indian media sector should be further liberalized.
At the moment, in most media segments, including radio FM, print and television broadcasting, existing rules do not allow for a high foreign participation. However, review of some of the present policies is on within the Indian government.
Interestingly, the US Chamber of Commerce letter to under-secretary Larson in the US government has been penned by former McKinsey head Rajat Gupta.
While making a strong case for foreign direct investment (FDI) norms in some sectors of the media to be reviewed, which would, of course, help American companies operating in India, the apex chamber of commerce states there should also be a time-bound action plan too.
A copy of the US Chamber of Commerce letter has been forwarded to various arms of the Indian government by its American counterpart. Especially those agencies that are engaged in promoting ways to increase foreign investment in India, which are still lagging behind neighbour China.
According to documented figures a total of about $3.5 billion in FDI reached India in 2004, while China attracted a whopping $60 billion.
The US government seems to sending feelers to its Indian counterpart that not only FDI norms in the print sector should be liberalized further from the existing (in the news category 26%, while in non-news category up to74%) levels, but also rules relating to broadcasting, especially news ventures, should be looked into.
At various points of time, US company representatives have lobbied with the Indian government to liberalise media sector investment norms, which have been resisted till now or treated cautiously by Indian policy-makers.
For example, a suggestion to up the foreign investment cap in a DTH venture from the existing 20 per cent has been made several times by foreign companies, while foreign newspapers have exhorted the Indian government to allow printing of non-Indian newspapers from India.
A Planning Commission paper on the mid-term appraisal of the ongoing 10th Five-Year Plan recently had listed review of DTH investment norms as one of the areas for discussions. At the last moment, this was struck out of the agenda.
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.
