News Broadcasting
Industry leaders foretell the future
MUMBAI: The 15th edition of FICCI FRAMES witnessed a panel on ‘Television 3.1 Era’, where thought leaders discussed the future of the broadcast industry in terms of content, marketing and distribution in an era of convergence and multi-platform delivery mechanisms.
The panel was constituted by Celestial Tiger Entertainment CEO Todd Miller, Reliance Broadcast CEO Tarun Katial, NDTV Group CEO Vikram Chandra, MSO Alliance president Ashok Mansukhani, TV France International executive director Mathieu Bejot and Zee Entertainment chief content and creative officer Bharat Kumar Ranga.
Having been there in the cable industry for nearly two decades, Mansukhani said there was a need for the industry to start providing content at a time of the viewer’s choice, at a price of the viewer’s choice, and in a manner of the viewer’s choice. “The young generation watches television on the iPhone or iPad. There is one big change that needs to come in the entire industry, which is to start addressing the young consumer in terms of his/her technological needs, content needs and legal rights to access content in whichever way they want to,” he said.
Chandra said, “Years ago, we used to say that TV as we knew it will be gone forever. That trend is going to accelerate and linked to that is the crashing of price point of smart phone devices. We have to be prepared to change the way we are viewing our own models.”
He said monetization is a challenge because online in India is still not at a stage it is in say the US though it will get there.
According to Ranga, “We must not remain an India-based multi-national company, but we need to become a meta-national company. Every market in India, whether it is Tamil Nadu or Karnataka, we have to look at each market individually, closely, and work on it. The moment we do that, we will be able to call ourselves a meta-national company. That is a big change.”
Ranga further said that the understanding between the network and the consumer is all important. “Finally, consumer-ish understanding is important as compared to market-ish understanding,” he said and added that the first two things would add up to the value of off-screen talent going up and that would take India ahead.
Miller opined that while multi-screen content viewing would become fundamental in India in the next ten to fifteen years, it was a long road ahead. “TV viewing will still be the primary medium. So in India, HD is the thing and has a lot of room to grow,” he said.
On his part, Katial said, “India has to see content as the central issue. In this area, India is very much ahead of some other countries where companies are providing content specifically for digital or TV. India however does broadcast quality content for digital.”
Mansukhani drew attention to the fact that the youth will probably want to view more niche television. “There is a lot of international content that has to be made available. Also, regional content has to be customized. The value of local content cannot be ignored. A little more money for a little more valuable content can lead to better changes in the way we watch television,” he concluded.
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.
