News Broadcasting
Eutelsat’s Hot Bird 8 broadcast satellite speeds into orbit
MUMBAI: The Hot Bird 8 broadcast satellite of Eutelsat Communications was successfully launched today by a Proton Breeze M launch vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 03.48 am Baikonur time 5 August. Weighing 4.9 tonnes, Hot Bird 8 is the largest and most powerful European Ku-band broadcast satellite to go into geostationary orbit.
In less than 10 minutes after lift-off, the three-stage Proton vehicle supplied by International Launch Services (ILS) finished its climb into space, leaving the Breeze M upper stage to continue its mission for the next nine hours. The Breeze M’s engine underwent five burns to place the EADS Space- built satellite into a transfer orbit.
The satellite was separated this morning from the Proton launch vehicle at 06.59 GMT with signal acquisition established by Eutelsat from its Rambouillet teleport near Paris. Manoeuvres that will be conducted over the next days include full circularisation of the satellite’s orbit and deployment of the solar panels and antenna reflectors, which will be followed by a series of in-orbit tests.
Eutelsat Communications CEO Giuliano Berretta said, “Equipped with a payload which spans the entire range of frequencies at our 13 degrees East position, Hot Bird 8 takes our inter-satellite back-up to a new level of security. We are looking forward to bringing our new broadcast satellite into commercial service in October, less than six months since Hot Bird 7A went live at 13 degrees East. My particular thanks also go to our industrial partners, EADS Space for completing this important satellite programme and ILS for executing a faultless launch for our company.”
Hot Bird 8 will assume all broadcast traffic currently carried by the 20-transponder Hot Bird 3, which will subsequently continue commercial service at an alternative location. The new satellite’s additional capacity will contribute to raising in-orbit security at Eutelsat’s Hot Bird video neighbourhood which broadcasts 950 digital channels to over 110 million cable and satellite homes across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
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.
