News Broadcasting
ET Now ropes in Shyam Chhabria as head of branded content
MUMBAI: ET Now, the 24-hour English business news channel, has appointed Shyam Chhabria as head of branded content.
Based out of Mumbai, he will focus on creating stronger relationship with prospective clients by designing properties that address client needs. He will report to Times Television Network chief sales officer Hemant Arora.
Arora said, “I am delighted to welcome Chhabria to his new role as head of branded content. With his experience in creating business units and content supported by advertisers he will be able to add tremendous value to the branded solutions offered by ET Now.”
Chhabria comes with over 14 years of experience in sales and marketing and has spent nearly seven years in the media & entertainment sector. He has worked with NDTV Media, Balaji Telefilms and Seventy EMG.
Chhabria commented, “I am excited to be a part of such a dynamic and motivated environment of ET Now. Driving brand solutions for television both in terms of content and sales are something I am very passionate about and ET Now is a perfect platform to connect brands to evolved Indian audiences.”
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.
