News Broadcasting
First gospel music channel to launch in US
MUMBAI: After spiritual channels, it is time add sub sections to the genre. A channel devoted to gospel music will be launched in the US by the end of 2004.
The channel’s content will attempt to capture the history and modern influence of all gospel music styles and genres.
The target audience of the channel will be the 25-54 age group. However the schedule will also be strategically day-parted to reach teens, tweens and even children. The channel will feature music video blocks, artists’ biographies, music specials and live concert programming, says an official release.
The Atlanta based channel is the brainchild of Charles Humbard and Brad Siegel. While the former was Discovery’s senior VP and GM, the latter has been president of Turner Entertainment Networks.
The ad-supported network is targetted at the under-served and loyal gospel music market. Private equity firms Alpine Equity Partners L.P. and Constellation Ventures will finance the channel, informs a press release.
The channel also claims to have finalised an agreement with a major US multi system operator (MSO) for carriage throughout America.
Humbard was quoted in a company release saying, “When you take a close look at the television landscape today, there are only a few underserved categories with such a large and passionate fan base.
“Gospel music fans represent a very powerful economic consumer base that stretches from coast to coast. The channel will have a strong appeal among families and advertisers seeking an alternative to other entertainment channels. We will celebrate all styles of this wonderful and historic music genre,” said Humbard.
Gospel music is one of the fastest-growing areas in the US recorded music industry. The music record sales for last year reached 50 million units in the US, the release states.
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.
