News Broadcasting
Sony announces Katial’s appointment as exec V-P prog & response
MUMBAI: It’s official! Tarun Katial has joined Sony Entertainment Television as the executive vice president – programming & response.
Katial, according to a company release, is to oversee the channel’s creative content, programming and on-air promotions. Interestingly, despite Katial’s being at the same level in terms of designation (as executive V-P), the release makes it clear he will be reporting to Sunil Lulla, executive vice-president and business head of SET.
Sony Entertainment Television Network’s chief executive officer, Kunal Dasgupta offers, “Tarun brings with him valuable experience in programming. As a member of Sunil’s team, he is tasked with driving Sony Entertainment Television’s programming profile and I am sure, he will add enormously to the momentum of the channel.”
Says Lulla, “Tarun’s creative drive will further catalyze the channels process of growth. I do believe we will see significant innovations and breakthrough programming in the year to come.
As for Katial himself, who has been in the denial mode ever since reports first surfaced that he was joining Sony, is quoted as saying, “I am happy to join Sony Entertainment Television and believe it will expand my portfolio of work and creativity. It provides me with a stimulating challenge to create a differentiated product offering and help the brand grow to newer heights.”
Hailing from a media & communications background, Tarun has worked with leading advertising firms of the country including Saatchi & Saatchi, Nexus Lowe and Ogilvy & Mather. He last held the position of senior vice-president – Content & Communications at Star 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.
