News Broadcasting
Strike time for BBC journos
MUMBAI: Journalists at the BBC staged a 48-hour strike on Friday and Saturday to oppose proposed cuts to their pension scheme.
Another strike is set for 15-16 November. Further strike dates, including Christmas Eve/Christmas Day and New Years Eve/New Years Day, are now under consideration.
The National Union Of Journalists (NUJ) says that for many journalists the new pension scheme will mean being tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds worse off in retirement. It says that the BBC‘s rationale for the move – that a potential ?2 billion hole in the pensions fund means that they have no choice – has been blown apart by reports they‘ve commissioned from independent financial experts, which show the figure to be closer to ?1bn. The NUJ has outlined its approach to dealing with the deficit.
The NUJ says that it has consistently offered to suspend strike action, if BBC management agree to negotiate a deal once the state of the funds is properly assessed next April, instead of forcing through a new scheme now. “At that time, we will all finally know what the actual deficit is – rather than an inflated guesstimate.”
The NUJ says that right now, it is not asking the BBC to spend any more money than the BBC has already committed to spend on CAB2011. In fact, for less money it could well be possible to retain the existing scheme with a longer period to repay the deficit – just as many large UK companies have done. That, the NUJ says, would deliver winners all round – better value for money for the licence-fee payer, fair pensions for BBC staff, and an amicable settlement for BBC management.
However BBC DG Mark Thompson has held his ground and says that the new pension plans are fair and have already been modified after talks with staff.
NUJ CEO Jeremy Dear, though, says that the BBC has got so many things wrong, from executive pay to the freezing of the licence fee as well as the cuts to journalists‘ pensions.
News Broadcasting
WITT Summit 2026 concludes in New Delhi
Babar Azam’s comical diving attempt goes viral as league introduces anti-dew measures.
MUMBAI: The WITT Summit just wrapped up with enough big ideas to fill a policy playbook because when India’s leaders, thinkers and icons gather under one roof, even the conversations hit sixes. The eighth edition of TV9 Network’s flagship What India Thinks Today (WITT) Summit 2026 concluded on Saturday after two days of dynamic discussions at its New Delhi venue. India’s largest multi-domain public policy and culture summit brought together political leaders, policymakers, sports icons, artists and technology innovators to examine the forces shaping contemporary India and its global standing.
Prime minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address on the theme “India and the World” for the third consecutive year. In a wide-ranging speech, he addressed the ongoing conflict in West Asia, calling for restraint and compassion while highlighting India’s continued development trajectory despite global turmoil.
The summit featured candid conversations with state leaders. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy articulated a people-first governance model and contrasted it with other development approaches. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav declared that Left-wing extremism had been effectively eliminated in his state and highlighted preparations for the upcoming Kumbh Mela. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann defended his government’s record, citing the closure of 19 toll plazas and creation of the Sadak Suraksha Force. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar expressed confidence in Congress prospects in Assam and addressed recent allegations against him.
On geopolitics and national security, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia outlined India’s ambition to become a builder of trusted digital infrastructure for the world, citing the rapid 5G rollout and village-level 4G connectivity.
Cricket received significant attention. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly praised player freedom and trust as hallmarks of great leadership and named MS Dhoni as the greatest captain due to his World Cup successes. India women’s team bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi credited the BCCI and Women’s Premier League for building a pipeline of world-class talent behind the team’s recent ODI World Cup triumph.
The summit also hosted the inaugural AI² Awards 2026, celebrating the convergence of human creativity and machine intelligence in storytelling and content creation. Poet and kathavachak Kumar Vishwas delivered a nuanced take on India’s concept of Dharma and criticised the recent arrest of an 80-year-old Shankaracharya. Veteran lyricist Sameer Anjaan and storyteller Neelesh Misra reflected on changing music trends and artistic responsibility in the wake of a recent controversy involving Nora Fatehi.
In a country where conversations often run as deep as the Ganges, the WITT Summit proved once again that when leaders, thinkers and storytellers come together, the real winner is public discourse lively, layered and refreshingly unafraid to tackle the big questions shaping India’s tomorrow.
