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Government, industry discuss broadcast regulator
MUMBAI: Following up on a suggestion made on Wednesday by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci), industry and government officials today discussed the setting up of an independent broadcast regulator.
The mandate of the independent broadcast regulator on issues like technology and pricing and its role in the administration of the conditional access system was reportedly discussed at the meeting.
According to sources who were present, SET India CEO Kunal Dasgupta, speaking on behalf of pay broadcasters, came out strongly against the regulator overseeing pricing of pay channels. Dasgupta reiterated the consistent stand taken by pay broadcasters on the issue that pricing should be left to market forces to determine.
The meeting, held in Mumbai and chaired by I&B secretary Pawan Chopra, was also attended by, among others, additional vice chairman Zee Telefilms and head of Siti Cable Jawahar Goel, Hinduja Group cable arm INCableNet’s Ashok Mansukhani, the Delhi-based Roop Sharma (representing independent cable operators) and the Consumer Guidance Society of India’s Anand Patwardhan.
The meeting was called by Ficci in association with law firm Amarchand Mangaldas. Today’s meeting comes a day ahead of the first meeting of the government-constituted CAS implementation panel, which will also be held here.
Ficci general secretary Amit Mitra had said in a statement on Wednesday that India could consider three regulatory models – the one that Australia has, another that the US has adopted, and the third one that prevails in Hong Kong, Thailand and New Zealand.
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Ficci moots regulator for CAS; suggests three models
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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.
