News Broadcasting
Stork to visit Murdoch again
MUMBAI: There’s no slowing down the septuagenarian media baron Rupert Murdoch.
Wendi and Rupert Murdoch – getting ready to change diapers again Even as his company News Corp has been given another shot at DirecTV in the US, there’s news from the home front: the stork is cleaning up to come a-visiting. Murdoch is once again going to become a Dad. At 71. His third wife, 35-year-old Wendi Deng, is believed to be pregnant once again. The second time since he married her in June 1999.
The first child the two had is a girl named Grace, who is a year old.
Proud Papa – 71-year-old Murdoch with Grace, his first child with Wendi The news has been confirmed by a News Corp spokesperson, after a Fortune magazine writer who interviewed him for a cover story that the magazine is carrying in its latest issue said that Murdoch had shared the good tidings with him.
The child, when it is born will be Murdoch’s sixth. The other five are Prudence Macleod, born in 1959, a product of his first marriage to Patricia, followed by Elisabeth Murdoch, 34, Lachlan Murdoch, 31, and James Murdoch, 30, the outcome of his marriage to his second wife Anna Murdoch, who he divorced a couple of years ago.
News Broadcasting
News18 hosts Tamil Nadu town hall ahead of 2026 polls
MK Stalin headlines ‘Next Big Leap’ event from 10am on 23 February in Chennai with leaders and icons.
MUMBAI: Tamil Nadu’s political pot is simmering and News18’s town hall is stirring it up just in time for the 2026 assembly elections boilover. Set for 23 February from 10am onwards in Chennai, the News18 Network Town Hall gathers heavyweights under the banner ‘The Next Big Leap for Tamil Nadu’ to dissect the state’s political pulse, economic edge, and cultural clout. With the 234-seat assembly contest looming as a fiercely competitive showdown, the event spotlights how Tamil Nadu’s identity-driven politics and engaged voters continue to ripple across national debates.
Chief minister MK Stalin leads the charge with a keynote on the theme, sketching his government’s blueprint for governance, development, and staying power pre-polls. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin chimes in on ‘Voices, Vision & Way Forward’, unpacking generational shifts and fresh narratives. From the opposition corner, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami tackles ‘Baton Change at the Ballot?’, floating alternatives to the status quo.
Economic vibes get a nudge from industries minister TRB Rajaa on ‘Investment Story Intact?’, probing the state’s draw for big bucks. BJP’s K Annamalai dives into ‘People, Trust & Political Ideology’, positioning his party in the Dravidian-dominated turf. IT Minister Palanivel ThiagaRajan explores ‘Code, Capacity & Citizenship’, on tech’s role in citizen-focused services. TVK’s KG Arunraj questions if ‘Winds of Change are Possible’ in this pattern-prone state.
A panel on innovation features IIT Madras director Prof V Kamakoti, M&M’s Velusamy R, and Electronic Industries Association’s Dr Sasikumar Gendham, musing how AI and knowledge hubs are remaking opportunities. Culture gets its due with composer Anirudh Ravichander on ‘Tamil Music for the World’.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar noted, “The News18 Network Tamil Nadu Town Hall… reflects our core editorial focus, to capture the political mood of the state and spotlight the ideas that will shape the next phase of governance and growth.”
Network18, CEO of English & business news Smriti Mehra added, “As Tamil Nadu moves closer to a defining electoral moment… we see it as our responsibility to drive informed and meaningful conversations.”
Network18 managing editor for South, Vivek Narayan said, “The News18 Network Townhall in Tamil Nadu is designed as a platform where policy, politics and public interest intersect.”
Backed by associate partners Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles and Reliance Industries, the live event streams on CNN-News18, News18 Tamil, CTV, and Youtube from 10am on 23 February perfect for catching the sparks, even if you’re not knee-deep in Dravidian drama.
