In this Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016, file photo, Stephen Hill arrives at the BET Hip Hop Awards in Atlanta. The cable channel said Wednesday, March 29, 2017, that its programming president, Hill, is stepping down. (AP Photo/Tami Chappell, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) --
Executive changes are afoot at BET Networks.
The cable channel said Wednesday that its programming president, Stephen Hill, is stepping down. BET also announced that executive vice president Zola Mashariki is leaving.
Connie Orlando, a BET senior vice president, will serve as interim programming chief after Hill's departure Friday.
Last month, Viacom's CEO identified BET Networks as one of the brands the media conglomerate intends to focus on. Others cited by Viacom chief Bob Bakish included Comedy Central and Paramount Network, the rebranded Spike TV.
The changes come a month before BET Networks presents its upcoming schedules to advertisers.
BET's recent programs included "The New Edition Story," a miniseries about the R&B group that was a ratings success.
Indian film directors Shyam Benegal, right, is seen during a discussion on Indian Cinema in Hyderabad, India, Monday, Feb. 18, 2008. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A, File)
Shyam Benegal, a renowned Indian filmmaker known for pioneering a new wave cinema movement that tackled social issues in the 1970s, has died after suffering from chronic kidney disease. He was 90.
His contribution to cinema was recognized as a director, editor and screenwriter. He was also credited with a new genre of filmmaking.
Benegal passed away on Monday at Mumbai's Wockhardt Hospital, and his cremation will take place on Tuesday, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, citing his daughter Piya.
"Benegal had been suffering from chronic kidney disease for several years but it had gotten very bad. That's the reason for his death," Piya said.
Many paid tribute to the legendary filmmaker on social media platform X.
Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt wrote that Benegal told stories without pretense. "They were raw and real, about the struggles of ordinary people. His films had craft and conviction."
"Deeply saddened by the passing of Shyam Benegal, whose storytelling had a profound impact on Indian cinema. His works will continue to be admired by people from different walks of life," India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.
He was a mentor to top Indian actors, including Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, and Om Puri who made their mark in Bollywood's popular cinema as well.
"I have lost my foster father, a man to whom I owe more than I can say," posted Naseeruddin Shah.
"Shyam Benegal was not just a legend; he was a visionary who redefined storytelling and inspired generations," said actor Manoj Bajpayee.
Benegal came into the limelight in the 1970s, with a series of films that challenged mainstream Bollywood. His films Ankur (1974), Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976), and Bhumika (1977)... Read More
