News Broadcasting
NBC Broadcasting to restructure exec suites as chairman exits
MUMBAI: US-based NBC Broadcasting chief Ted Herbert is stepping down from his role as the chairman after 40 years in the industry. Herbert was key adviser to NBCUniversal chief Steve Burke. He saw a wide swath of territory including local advertising sales, the network’s owned television stations, affiliate relations and distribution of NBC-owned content.
He was in the position since 2011 when Comcast Corp. completed its acquisition of NBCUniversal. Prior to that, he ran the E! cable network for Comcast.
With this exit, Burke plans to restructure the executive suites at the network. NBC Sports Group chairman Mark Lazarus will take on Harbert’s title to become chairman of NBC Broadcasting and Sports. He will oversee affiliate relations, advertising and the owned-TV stations. Harbert other duties will be spread to other execs
The syndication business will be overseen jointly by senior entertainment executives George Cheeks and Paul Telegdy.
NBCUniversal Global Distribution chairman Kevin MacLellan will add domestic and new media distribution of NBC content to his responsibilities. Maggie McLean Suniewick has been named president of digital enterprises, which is a unit focusing on strategy and development in the digital space.
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.
