News Broadcasting
Liberty Media eyes News Corp’s National Geographic
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MUMBAI: Liberty Media Corp. may seek to buy the National Geographic Channel and may close in on a deal to sell a voting stake back to News Corp., according to Liberty chairman John Malone. The possible transaction would see Liberty hand back some or all of its 18 per cent stake in News Corp. |
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Malone said the two companies “have the basis of a discussion” and “a couple of theories that we are moving forward on” that could allow for a win-win resolution of the matter during the coming months according to agency reports.  He added that the relationship between the two firms is “in good condition,” but said that tax matters and necessary approvals by third parties having interests in assets could change hands among the complications of the scenarios being discussed. News Corp. owns about 67% of the National Geographic Channel’s U.S. operations and 50% of the international subsidiary, according to its 2004 annual report. |
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A deal to buy the channel would require the approval of the National Geographic Society, a nonprofit group. The society’s for-profit arm National Geographic Ventures holds a minority stake in the cable network. |
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.
