News Broadcasting
Ficci, IPRS work to make copyrights laws stringent
NEW DELHI: Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Ficci), in association with the Indian Performing Rights Society (IPRS), is working on a proposal to suggest amendments in the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Act to make the copyrights laws more stringent.
According to IPRS, the suggestions for amendments are almost ready, and revolve around the fact that such a policy should be “frequently re-visited to keep pace with the changes in technology.”
At a roundtable on IPR, broadcasters and performing artistes here, organised by Ficci, IPRS representatives said that there is blatant flouting of even existing norms and that performers are not getting their due right.
In this regard, IPRS is working towards a model where performing artistes would get royalty for their work from the media and other channels for usage.
“The IPR Act should be frequently revised, as done in Japan, so that the law can keep pace with the fast-changing technology,” an IPRS executive said, pointing out that legal proceedings need to be established, implemented stringently and adhered to by the industry.
IPRS also feels that all channels, including TV and radio, need to notify in advance when and where works of performing arts would be used by them. This way, the organisation felt, there would be some uniformity in the industry.
Meanwhile, speaking at the same roundtable, Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma announced that All India Radio, had decided to pay royalty to Indian music performers, on 2 October. Earlier, only the Western music performers were being paid the royalty.
The Prasar Bharati chief also urged the government to support the treaty, now under consideration at the World Intellectual Property Organisation, which aims at protecting the interests of performers as well as producers.
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.
