News Broadcasting
PIB’s Manish Desai becomes interim CEO CBFC
MUMBAI: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is soon to see a change of face. 20 September was outgoing CEO Pankaja Thakur’s last day in office. PIB Mumbai Director Manish Desai has been roped in to oversee the board till the time a new CEO is appointed. He has taken charge of the CBFC from today.
Manish Desai
The government had issued notice in national newspapers calling candidates to apply for the post. Once the due process of going through the applications and interviews is completed, the ministry of information and broadcasting will approve the successor to Thakur which could take some time. Till then, Desai will hold additional charge as CEO while continuing with his responsibility as director of PIB (Mumbai). He, however, is not one of the applicants for the post.
Talking about the dual post, Desai says: “Since the two offices are not far off I will try to do justice to both by managing my time.”
Thakur took charge of a post that had been kept vacant for nearly ten years in 2010. Before that it was the chairpersons who overlooked the CBFC. Thakur has faced severe criticism from the film fraternity for her decisions but has also received support from certain parts of the industry. Leela Samson is the current chairperson of the CBFC.
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.
