News Broadcasting
Shourie broom begins sweeping clean; hires new marketing director?
A new broom – on most occasions – sweeps clean in most corporations. And Discovery Communications CEO Deepak Shourie believes in this in toto. He has started cleaning up the management within his charge. He has reportedly signed on old hire Rahul Johri, who was earlier with him at Zee News, as his marketing director. Johri was apparently with Shourie even in his days at Outlook.
It is Johri’s hiring which has led to rumours that marketing director and advertising media whiz Ambika Srivastava has put in her papers. While Srivastava – God bless her – has been denying it to all and sundry, the industry buzz insists that she is just staying out her term at the company. Industry sources point out that she is likely to pitch for the Top Job in mindshare or hitch on to an NGO.
There is also talk that at least two other top executives are planning an early exit from the channel.
Johri’s last employment was with tehelka.com as vice-president (sales and marketing). Apparently, Shourie is slated to bring many more changes within Discovery. And this has led to some discontent within a company, which has had little of that under the leadership of its former captain Kiran Karnik.
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.
