News Broadcasting
IIMC Commences Five Months Diploma Course in Urdu Journalism
MUMBAI: The Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi, has commenced a five month Diploma Course in Urdu Journalism intended to promote the proficiency of working journalists in Urdu language newspapers and the capabilities of media professionals in the Urdu language.
The initiative to launch the course had been taken after Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari had detailed discussions with working journalists and editors of Urdu language newspapers at the All India Conference of Urdu Editors. During the discussions, the representatives of the Urdu newspapers had requested the Minister to initiate skill and capacity building measures through short term courses in the medium.
The course currently initiated by the Institute is non residential. It focuses on contemporary trends and practices in the field of journalism, use of technology, copy-writing and writing for TV. The course aims at capacity building and enhancing the skills of practitioners of Urdu journalism.
The Indian Institute of Mass Communication invited applications on 16 September 2013 by placing advertisements in leading Hindi and Urdu newspapers. The entrance exam for the Urdu Journalism Course was held on 20th Oct. 2013. Interviews were held on 9 November. 2013. The course commenced on 2nd Dec. 2013 with 8 students, 12 candidates had appeared for the Entrance Examination and out of them 11 had been shortlisted for the interview. The course is expected to be completed by April 2014.
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.
