News Broadcasting
Former CNN anchor Riz Khan joins forces with Al Jazeera Intl
MUMBAI: Former CNN International anchor Riz Khan has joined the upcoming news network Al jazeera International. He will host an interactive interview show. When he was at CNN Khan hosted the show Q&A which was also interactive in nature. Al Jazeera International a 24-hour, English-language news and current affairs channel is set to broadcast globally from next year.
Khan’s new show, live daily from Washington DC, will feature world leaders, newsmakers and celebrities in a question and answer format led by viewer participation. Speaking about the upcoming channel Al Jazeera International MD Nigel Parson said, “This is the most exciting television news and current affairs project in decades. It will revolutionise the global news industry by offering viewers across the world a fresh perspective on news.”
Khan’s show – aimed at being the world’s most interactive interview programme – will allow viewers to directly talk to newsmakers with their questions. Khan says, “I think we are at a turning point where viewers across the world are looking for a fresh approach to news and information. Al Jazeera brings together all the pieces to provide a complete picture on global issues. I’m incredibly excited to have this rare chance to build something so new and influential from the ground up.
“Al Jazeera International is all about revolutionising viewer choice. I’ve now got the chance to offer viewers around the globe a much-needed voice on the world stage. Imagine, a person at any level in society, in almost any country, having the chance to talk directly with a President or a Prime Minister, or even a global celebrity. It’s a wonderfully honest and equal opportunity for people – something still uncommon in broadcasting.”
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.
