ITV

Category: People

  • Ruchir Khanna joins Asianet News Media & Entertainment as COO

    New Delhi : Asianet News Media & Entertainment Pvt Ltd (AMEL) on Friday announced the appointment of Ruchir Khanna as chief operating officer of the company’s digital business.

    An accomplished digital media professional, Khanna was earlier working with Times Internet as the head of product and growth. During his stint at Times Internet, he led the digital growth of various properties of the group. He has over two decades of experience across product development, growth and marketing, content strategy and P&L management. He has also had leadership stints at Hike messenger, India Today Group and Yahoo! India, said the company.

    AMEL, executive chairman, Rajesh Kalra said, the team is building a media/ent-tech company of the future and building on the strong digital brands. 

    AMEL has multiple digital brands in it’s portfolio including asianetnews.com, indigomusic.com and serves consumers in multiple languages.

    “Our mission is to significantly expand audiences of each of these brands – with more innovation, content and services. Ruchir will provide significant leadership to this mission of ours. He brings with him the experience of building and growing some of the biggest and most successful digital products in India. I am really excited about the leadership team we’ve built. Ruchir joins us soon after Nachiket Pantvaidya took over as managing director. We are now fully geared-up in our mission to make AMEL India’s leading Media-Entertainment Tech enterprise,” said Kalra.

  • IBF ropes in Siddharth Jain as secretary general

    IBF ropes in Siddharth Jain as secretary general

    New Delhi : The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), the apex body of broadcasters, on Thursday appointed Siddharth Jain as its secretary general.

    An industry veteran, Jain’s career spans over three decades. Until 30 April, he was working with Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. as SVP and managing director – South Asia.

    Commenting on the appointment, IBF president, K. Madhavan said, “Siddharth has demonstrated great competency in nurturing efficient, talented cross border teams of industry experts and is highly adept in driving innovation to turn adversities into opportunities. Given his remarkable expertise in leadership and advocacy, business strategy, corporate governance and compliance, we are confident in his ability to steer the IBF on a path that helps realize the sector’s value chain to the optimum. I, along with the rest of the IBF members, welcome Siddharth and wish him the very best for his new role.”

    Jain is an accomplished enterprise business leader known for expertise in business strategy, revenue/profitability/EBITA growth, financial management, sales & marketing, business development, international brand launches & development, account management, strategic alliances & partnership development, relationship management, and corporate governance and compliance stated IBF in a release.

    Meanwhile, IBF is being renamed as Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF), as it expands its purview to cover digital platforms to bring all digital (OTT) players under one roof. IBF is also in the process of setting up a separate subsidiary to facilitate the entry of OTT players.

    The subsidiary will be carrying out various activities for its member OTT players including handling the day-to-day activities of the industry-led Level-II appellate Self-Regulatory Body (SRB) called Digital Media Content Regulatory Council (DMCRC) for non-news digital OTT platforms, similar to Broadcast Content Complaint Council (BCCC).

  • Manish Agarvwal is vice president, heads marketing at Zee Zest

    Manish Agarvwal is vice president, heads marketing at Zee Zest

    Mumbai: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited has promoted Manish Agarvwal as vice president and head of marketing of Zee Zest, the 24-hour food and lifestyle television channel based in Mumbai.

    Agarvwal updated his profile on LinkedIn.Under the new role, Agarwal will directly report to the business head and CMO marketing. He will now be responsible for Zee Zest channel’s marketing, branding, social media, and asset management. 

    Agarvwal joined Zee Zest in 2014 as the brand head of Zee Cinema, Zee Cinema HD, Zee Action, and Zee Anmol Cinema. In 2020, he was promoted as head of marketing at Zee Zest where he was directly reporting to the business head. 

    Before joining Zee, he worked as a content and digital manager in Movies Now and Movies Now HD, and also with Star TV Network and Sony Pictures Network Distribution India. 

  • ZEE ropes in Nitin Mittal as president – technology & data

    ZEE ropes in Nitin Mittal as president – technology & data

    Mumbai: Leading media conglomerate Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEE) on Tuesday appointed Nitin Mittal as president – technology & data.

    Prior to joining ZEE, Mittal was the founder CEO & board member for SOLV, a company focused on creating an open platform for B2B commerce, credit, payment, logistics and skilled workforce for the SME segment in India. At Zee, he will lead strategic initiatives in Tech, Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML) and Digital across the company to support the ZEE 4.0 transformation, said the company on Tuesday.

    The announcement is part of the media conglomerate’s strategic plans to support its digital pivot, drive exponential growth across digital platforms and fortify the broader transformation it has embarked on, in line with the ZEE 4.0 approach.

    “We have taken concerted efforts and reworked our digital strategy in order to build robust digital assets to enhance the user experience. We are taking concrete steps to further upgrade our technological capabilities, and I am sure with Nitin’s expertise, we will enhance the value proposition of our digital products to create consumer delight,” said ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, MD & CEO, Punit Goenka.

    The transformation process aims at creating a digitally adept, data first company that will be a leader, in all formats of content consumption, both linear and digital, across India and key international markets.

    Mittal will also lead the engineering team and work closely with president – digital businesses & platforms, Amit Goenka to enhance the customer experience across ZEE5 and support the growth plans of the OTT Platform in India and across the world.

    “The pace of technology-led innovation in the media and entertainment ecosystem is rapidly rising, and a strong blend of technology, data and talent are the critical determinants to succeed in this space. I am glad to welcome Nitin Mittal to our leadership team to drive the digital transformation journey of ZEE 4.0 forward,” said ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, president – digital businesses & platforms, Amit Goenka.

    Commenting on his new role, Mittal said, “My job at ZEE is to worry about technology in the future. If you want to have a great future you have to start thinking about it in the present, because when the future’s here, you won’t have the time. (Brockman 2003). I’m committed to helping our clients and various teams’ professional dreams come true. As an organization we aim to create an environment that sparks innovation. I will do my best to support and implement the great ideas the teams come up with.”

    Mittal has two decades of experience, during which he has worked with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to build the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) framework for the country and with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on reframing the Aadhar platform to drive the exponential growth of its coverage in India. He was also associated with Standard Chartered, IBM, TESCO, BNY Mellon, Wipro and the Future Group in the past.

  • Network18 Digital appoints Siddharth Raj Jain as the chief technology officer

    Network18 Digital appoints Siddharth Raj Jain as the chief technology officer

    KOLKATA: Network18 has announced the appointment of Siddharth Raj Jain as its CTO of Network18 Digital. Jain, in his new role, will take up the responsibility of all technology functions for Network18 Digital to enable the company’s continued national and regional growth, as well as oversee the company’s technology teams. Focusing on its strong digital presence, he will leverage his experience and strength of the Network to accelerate growth for the content business.

    Jain brings in more than two decades of experience in technology and product development across Fintech, Ad Tech, Navigation and Software Development. Prior to this role, he has worked with PayU where he is credited with building the consumer credit business of LazyPay and also led data & engineering for the consumer business. In addition to that, he has also worked with Infosys, Subex, Nokia (India) and Inmobi.

     “I am delighted to be a part of a leading media conglomerate like Network18. As a fan of products that this team has built, I await connecting with the team and hearing their success stories. I feel fortunate to be surrounded by a tremendous team of professionals who are dedicated to creating a positive and digitized experience for the audience and look forward to being part of this team for the upcoming seasons of ‘Success Stories’,” he shared.

    With ever increasing focus on technology, Network18 Digital has scaled up the reach of its content at a fast pace. He will report to Puneet Singhvi, president – Digital & Corporate Development, Network18.

  • We have taken a relook at our entire strategy at Zee5: Punit Goenka

    We have taken a relook at our entire strategy at Zee5: Punit Goenka

    KOLKATA: The over-the-top (OTT) market is ripe for growth in India, the segment which has emerged as one of the most obvious winners in the pandemic time. Most OTT platforms in India have multiplied their user base over the last year. Zee5 was no exception as it also drew more viewers to its platform, but it may take some time before the paid subscription base is reflected in its overall revenue.

    Zee5’s global monthly active users (MAU) and daily active users (DAU) have gone up to 72.6 million, 6.1 million respectively in q4 from 65.9 million, 5.4 million in the q3. Despite the growth, its revenue has declined to Rs 107.5 crore in the quarter from Rs 117.8 crore. However, EBITDA loss has come down to Rs 162.5 core from Rs 175.7 crore in q3.

    The fall in revenue is on account of advertising, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZeeL) MD & CEO Punit Goenka said in a conference call post the earnings. But that is cyclical in nature, Goenka noted. Along with that, pending telco deal renewal is another reason for the drop in revenue. Moreover, the platform saw a bump up in revenue in the previous quarter because of the festive season, ZeeL investor relations, corporate strategy head Bijal Shah added.

    However, Zee5 may see a better result in Q1 of FY22 as the blockbuster Radhe has premiered on the platform and management seems confident about the movie’s performance. “Radhe has done what we expected it to do for us,” Goenka highlighted saying the film has been quite successful for the platform. However, he did not delve into deeper numbers as it has been only a week since the release of the movie. The company hopes Zee5 revenues to move up in Q1 on the back of the film along with other reasons.

    Predominantly, the platform’s MAUs and DAUs are coming from its own organic growth as telco partnerships are only on the subscription side. On the AVoD side, 90 per cent of users are coming from India as there are few international markets of Zee5 with an advertising model. As the platform plans to launch Zee5 in the UK, US, Europe market, those markets will only have a subscription-led model.

    “We are seeing people moving to SVOD service (in India). It is slow but it is certainly heartening to see people who come to the funnel of catch up TV and then move to paid services,” Goenka added.

    Zee5 last year took several new innovations like adding education content, gamification of shows, and launching short video segments. Goenka was asked on the call why Zee5 didn’t continue its efforts in those segments. “We never got into e-learning, gamification itself. These initiatives were partner driven,” he responded.

    “Certainly, a lot of our content may not have succeeded or was not for the right audience base that we have seen but we have taken a relook at our entire strategy at Zee5. We planned to reduce the pricing to Rs 499 per year in line with what is happening in the market. That is one value proposition,” Goenka quipped.

    “Other value proposition is going to be a focus on good quality content in the form of films as well as originals across multiple languages that we are going to focus on going forward,” he stated further.  Goenka also remarked that Zee5 is going to focus on the tech platform significantly for it to be an app that can delight consumers.

  • Zulfiqar Khan appointed as Group COO, Balaji TeleFilms

    Zulfiqar Khan appointed as Group COO, Balaji TeleFilms

    Mumbai: Television production company Balaji TeleFilms which also owns SVOD platform ALTBalaji has appointed industry veteran Zulfiqar Khan as their new group chief operating officer (COO).

    The media conglomerate announced this news through an internal mail to its employees. Khan will be responsible for the overall success of the company’s profit and loss of operations, content, marketing, and distribution deals, it said on Thursday. 

    He will replace Nachiket Pantvaidya who recently joined Asianet New Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd as the managing director. In this new role, Zulfiqar Khan will directly report to Balaji TeleFilms MD Shobha Kapoor.  

    Zulfiqar comes with nearly two decades of experience in broadcast & digital media companies. He began his career in 1999 with Star India and spent over sixteen years serving in distinct roles. In 2015, he moved to Eros Now as business Head and CRO for Eros Now. His last stint with HOOQ as managing director saw him leading strategy for the premium video-on-demand service.  

    Commenting on the development, Balaji Telefilms joint managing director, Ekta Kapoor, said, “We are ecstatic to welcome Zulfiqar aboard. His rich experience is sure to take Balaji Telefilms Ltd. to newer heights. Zulfiqar will be a driving factor for Balaji’s vision of shaping and defining its leadership in the ever evolving Entertainment sector”. 

    Balaji Telefilms managing director Shobha Kapoor said, “We have great expectations from Zulfiqar. I am sure his robust experience coupled with Balaji Telefilms Ltd. proven business excellence across production and distribution capabilities will create significant value for us”. 

    Talking about his new role, Khan said, “I am excited to be working with Ekta and to take on this challenging journey at Balaji Telefilms Ltd. which is a pioneer in content creation across platforms as well as one of the top digital entertainment platforms in the country. I am looking forward to a remarkable journey with the organization as we chart a successful growth story for the brand across verticals, in the coming years.”

  • Nivedita Basu to head content and acquisition with Biiggbang Amusement

    Nivedita Basu to head content and acquisition with Biiggbang Amusement

    Mumbai: Biiggbang Amusement, the recently launched short-form OTT content platform has appointed Nivedita Basu as the head of content and acquisition. In her new role, Basu will be in charge of strengthening the platform’s content library.  

    Biggbang Amusement CEO and co-founder Sudip Mukherjee said, “We are thrilled to have Nivedita on board with us as her expertise and thorough knowledge of the industry will help Biiggbang Amusement to maximise potential. We strive to be the hub-spot for people who are time-sensitive and would indulge in snackable (read short form) content. With this shared mission, the team is moving with twice the force to build up a library with a mix of fresh and award-winning content from the (Indian) heartland and around the world.”  

    Basu is clear about the roadmap ahead particularly in these COVID-19 pandemic times and said “As content creators, we always keep track of audience preferences and their changing lifestyles. The lockdown witnessed a major shift in the way content is consumed. From binge-watching to now being duration-centric, the enhanced appetite of the audience has compelled creators to present crispier and fresh content to fit their utility. Biiggbang Amusement identifies with this vision. Together we will create a success story of a platform that is home to some remarkable content available for audiences anytime, anywhere.” 

    Basu carries an expansive experience that spans over two decades in production and television programming. Her previous stints included one with Channel V and she also helmed the role of producer at the Anil Kapoor Film Company besides being instrumental in developing the blockbuster international show ‘24’.  

    Donning the role of deputy creative director at Balaji Telefilms, Basu has also worked closely with producer Ekta Kapoor and revolutionized the Indian television soap industry. She has created more than 2,00,000 minutes of programming for several top Indian GEC’s that include Star, Zee entertainment, Sony, Channel Nine, 9X, Imagine TV, and SAB TV, the company said on Wednesday.

  • Veteran television journalist Anjan Bandyopadhyay succumbs to Covid

    Veteran television journalist Anjan Bandyopadhyay succumbs to Covid

    Mumbai: Veteran television journalist Anjan Bandyopadhyay died on Sunday night after battling with Covid-19 infection for over a month. He was 56. 

    He was the editor of Bengali news channel Zee 24 Ghanta and one of West Bengal’s leading news anchors. The news of his sudden demise has left the new industry shocked, with tributes pouring in from various quarters.

    Bandyopadhyay was admitted to the hospital on 14 April after testing positive for Covid-19. He was discharged after showing signs of recovery, but developed Covid-related complications. He suffered a heart attack on Sunday. 

    In a career that spans over 33 years, Bandyopadhyay had worked in ETV Bangla, 24 Ghanta, and then with Anandabazar Patrika’s digital unit before moving to TV9 Bangla as the channel’s first editor. The senior journalist returned to Zee 24 Ghanta as its editor just a few days before this year’s legislative assembly elections in West Bengal. 

    Chief minister Mamata Banerjee condoled his demise remembering him as one of the best television anchors in West Bengal.

    “Saddened at the passing away of Anjan Bandyopadhyay. He was a bright, young, and dynamic journalist. I have no words to express my condolences to his family and his colleagues in the fraternity. His Ma, wife Aditi, daughter Titli, his elder brother Alapan Bandyopadhyay, who is the Chief Secretary of the State,” added Banerjee. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • The Q India promotes Krishna Menon as COO

    The Q India promotes Krishna Menon as COO

    KERALA: The QYOU Media Inc has appointed Krishna Menon as the COO of its Hindi language youth-oriented channel The Q India, available in over 100 million TV households and to over 612 million OTT and mobile users.

    Menon has been working as the chief revenue officer in Q India since 2018, and the company decided to promote him as the COO for his efforts in growing its business from a small independent channel into one of India’s fastest-growing media brands. 

    “Krishna has been a true leader and for more than two years has worked to grow our business, raising it to new levels of viewership, revenue growth, and brand recognition. Working with Simran Hoon, our recently announced CEO, Krishna will be instrumental in driving forward The Q’s many planned strategic growth opportunities,” said QYOU Media co-founder & CEO Curt Marvis. 

    Going forward, Menon will be directly responsible for distribution, branding, influencer marketing, digital sales, and operations and will report to Hoon, while other departments including ad sales and programming will be directly under Hoon’s management. 

    Menon said, “We have been nurturing and building the foundation for The Q for over two years, and now is our time to drive forward the creation of a truly new and dynamic media brand in India. Our team is strong and our product continues to deliver results. I am thrilled that our hard work to date is paying off and I look forward to contributing to our new levels of achievement and growth in the coming months and years ahead.” 

    Before joining Q India, Menon had served as the chief revenue and marketing officer for Sakal Media Group. He formerly held senior sales, operational, and business development roles for Dainik Bhaskar Group, OnMobile Global, Network 18 (Viacom), and Radio Mirchi (Times of India Group). His experience extends across television, digital, radio, and print media.