News Broadcasting
Hal Walker of CBS News passes away
MUMBAI: Hal Walker, one of the first African American journalists on national television in the 1960s, passed away at his home at the age of 70. He had been suffering from prostate cancer.
Walker, an award-winning journalist, was the first African American correspondent for CBS News in 1968. At CBS, Walker’s repertoire covered foreign as well as domestic stories. He was promoted to correspondent in the network’s Washington bureau in September 1969.
His coverage of race relations during his stint with CBS’ Washington affiliate WTOP-TV (now known as WUSA) was among his award winning works. Walker also won a local Emmy and the Capitol Press Club’s ‘Journalist of the Year’ award for anchoring a one-hour WTOP Special Report – ‘A Dialogue with Whitey’, which was about the Washington riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968.
Born in South Carolina, brought up in New York City, Walker studied English and theater at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. He pursued other careers, including acting and public service, before taking a job at WTOP in 1963.
He took an assignment for CBS in Bonn in 1977, and left the network three years later to become bureau chief for ABC News in Bonn. His last posting before retiring in 1995 was with ABC News in the network’s London bureau.
Walker had retired in 1995 after an illustrious career including a 12-year stint with CBS News and 15 years with ABC.
Walker is survived by his wife, Diane Walker, his three children, Alison Schlatter, Sarah Walker, and Harold Stephen Walker and four grandchildren.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
