ITV

Category: People

  • Sun TV gives additional charge of Sun Life to kids cluster head Kavitha Jaubin

    Sun TV gives additional charge of Sun Life to kids cluster head Kavitha Jaubin

    MUMBAI: Sun TV cluster head of kids channels Kavitha Jaubin has been given additional responsibility to manage its second Tamil GEC, Sun Life. Jaubin will continue in her existing role of head content acquisition and kids channels of Sun TV Network.

    Sun TV Network had revamped its hybrid channel Sun Life as a second Tamil GEC in October 2018. The channel has 24 hours of original content a week. It targets youth in 18-30 age-groups and has a mix of fiction, non-fiction content and reality show content.

    Jaubin commenced her career in the year 1999, as a copy writer at Ogilvy & Mather. Within less than a year, she joined UTV as a script writer. She then joined K Balachander’s Minbinbangal as a producer. After three years of her stint as a producer, she joined Star Vijay Television as a director, writer and served the company for four years. Before joining Sun TV network, she worked with 92.7 BigFM as executive producer in 2006. After a year she joined Sun TV Network.

  • Zee Media appoints Jawahar Goel as editor-in-chief

    Zee Media appoints Jawahar Goel as editor-in-chief

    MUMBAI: Jawahar Goel, younger brother of Essel Group chairman Subhash Chandra Goel and also MD of Dish TV DTH has been appointed as editor-in-chief of Zee Media Network.

    He has been "entrusted with the overall responsibility of editorial affairs of the network" according to an official email sent from Subhash Chandra's office to top executives of the conglomerate.

    Goel would be assisted by current MD Ashok Venkatramani in operational and strategic matters for the network. In addition to being appointed editor in chief of Zee Media Network, Goel will also be the chairman of the media network's 'Editorial Governing Council' which directs the main editorial policy of the network.

    All editors of the national and regional channels would report to Goel on matters regarding editorial and policy guidelines for their respective news channels.

    According to the reports, the email mentions, "As an organisation, we should also be watchful of our costs and therefore as part of the ongoing budgeting exercise, he would also be responsible for driving cost optimisation in the network in order to create a more lean and efficient organisation which is nimble on its feet and create value for its shareholders."

    This is Goel’s second stint at editorial operations at Zee Media. He also played a similar role in the early avatar of Zee TV, the news channel that started its broadcast in the early 90s.

    Zee Media Network comprises leading Hindi national news channel Zee news, an array of regional news channels, an English news channel WION and print media publication DNA.

  • Times Now strengthens primetime with Padmaja Joshi’s appointment

    Times Now strengthens primetime with Padmaja Joshi’s appointment

    MUMBAI: Times Now, the English news channel from Times Network has strengthened its primetime band with the appointment of Padmaja Joshi as presenter. In her role, Padmaja will present the primetime show The Newshour at 10 pm on Times Now and will closely work with the editorial leadership team in setting the news agenda for the channel.

    Based out of Times Now’s Noida office, Joshi will report to Times Now editor-in-chief Rahul Shivshankar.

    Shivshankar said, “I am pleased to welcome Padmaja to the Times Now team. We are confident that her vast knowledge and experience will be a valuable contribution in shaping the primetime band and driving the immediate big event – elections.”

    A seasoned journalist with over a decade experience, Joshi brings in-depth knowledge in broadcasting as a reporter, producer, commentator, primetime news anchor and presenter across politics and current affairs.

    On her appointment, Joshi said, “I’m extremely excited to join Times Now, a brand that stands for credibility and accuracy in reportage. What sets the channel apart, is the primacy it gives to reporters and as a journalist who thrives on being where the story is, I look forward to be a part of the team that’s always with the news, first.”

    She will also play an active role in extensive reportage on the upcoming General Elections.

    Joshi has earlier worked with Headlines Today (now India Today TV), where she anchored the prime-time broadcast shows on the channel and was in-charge of copy and the news flow. In her earlier role with Times Now, Padmaja handled the responsibility of an anchor and news editor of the channel. 

  • BTVI’s Megha Tata steps down as chief operating officer

    BTVI’s Megha Tata steps down as chief operating officer

    Mumbai: Megha Tata, chief operating officer of business news channel BTVI , has stepped down from her role, Indiantelevision.com has learnt. 15 March 2019 will be her last day at the organisation, Tata informed colleagues via an email last week.

    “Till such time the management decides on the way forward, my direct reports will report into Siddharth (Zarabi),” the veteran executive went on to add.

    The former HBO India MD – South Asia was roped in by BTVI in August 2016. Under her leadership, BTVI has made major gains in terms of viewership, especially on digital platforms.

    With over 25 years of media experience under her belt, Tata has worked for some of the most formidable brands in the media and entertainment business.

    Before joining HBO, Tata worked for Turner International India as general manager, Entertainment Networks, South Asia.

    Prior to her stint at Turner, Tata was the senior vice president -advertising sales, Star India.

    With another round of success behind her, all eyes will now be on Tata’s next move.

  • Take out masses from media, and you will have no media left’, says 21st Century Fox president Uday Shankar

    Take out masses from media, and you will have no media left’, says 21st Century Fox president Uday Shankar

    MUMBAI: "You cannot take out mass from 'mass media', because then there will be no media left", said Uday Shankar, President of 21st Century Fox and former chairman and CEO of Star India at "TV Ka Dum", a daylong conclave organized by India TV in Mumbai, attended by top Bollywood and TV stars, last weekend. 

    Participating in a panel debate with Raj Nayak, COO of Viacom-18 and N. P. Singh, CEO of Sony Pictures Networks, Uday Shankar said: "Television shows are made to get ratings, because the viewers are the ultimate arbiters. TV shows are not made for private viewing. Whether TV shows, newspapers or films, unless the masses read or watch them, you cannot judge their popularity."

    Uday Shankar added: "Ratings are only the output to judge the content that is produced. Ratings is the sum of how many number of people watched a particular show. No astrologer can predict the ratings of a show. Producers are interested only in what viewers would like to watch or know, whether it is horror, comedy or love story."

    On the issue of why more and more TV shows based on superstition and horror are being produced, Uday Shankar replied: "There are serious TV shows too, like Satyamev Jayate, but to cater to a nation of 125 crore people, you cannot have a single size boot. One has to make shows according to the size of the foot of different types of people."

    "TV networks have a broad spectrum of shows that include entertainment, and shows which are serious and some light. which the viewer can enjoy. When a person returns home tired after daylong work, and sits with his family to watch TV, he or she needs entertainment.  You can't go on hectoring him or her all day with speeches.  Give some time to speeches and some to entertainment, in the language which he or she can understand and accept. 

    "If a car or bicycle manufacturer can want more and more people to buy vehicles,  then why not a TV producer can want more and more people to watch the show. There is nothing wrong in it. " 

    "Some vested interests, including some politicians, do not like to watch certain TV shows. My answer is: if the people of our country have become more conscious and they are asking questions from those in power, it is not because of consciousness spread by the political class. TV programmes, whether entertainment or news, have spread awareness among the people."

    Viacom-18 COO Raj Nayak said: "My question is why do those who raise objections watch TV programmes that are negative? If some TV shows get good numbers it is because they are in demand. But one should also know that people watch shows like Satyamev Jayate, Balika Vadhu, Shakti (on transgenders), Udaan (on bonded labour). These shows entertain and also try to bring about social changes. 

    Nayak said: "The Star Plus show Saathiya was on women empowerment, and shows like these educate people. Shows are made to care to different tastes of viewers. If more people watch the TV show Naagin, let me say, television did not create Naagin. Already there were four Bollywood films on Naagin.

    Nayak added: "Television and cinema reflect what is happening in society, they reflect what people want. Whenever we launch a new show, we never look at the TRP. No channel makes shows after watching TRPs. Shows are made only when there is good content. TRP is only a byproduct. Of course, at the end of day, the channels want TRPs because, after all, we have to run our company."

    N.P. Singh, CEO of Sony Pictures Networks, said: "I agree that television is an important medium for creating social impact.  Our shows did create a positive impact on society. Kaun Banega Crorepati is a very powerful and successful format, and its success was a given. It is a vehicle to create a positive and social change impact. 

    "We showcased stories of small town people whose work inspire others. That is why we decided that we will show the life journey of KBC participants so that it can inspire viewers."

    Asked by hosts Maniesh Paul and Charul Malik as to why TV shows are pulled off the air abruptly by GEC networks, Uday Shankar replied: " It's natural that when viewers do not like a show, it is pulled off the air. What can we do? We are not running an autocratic regime where shows will continue to run by government diktat, even if viewers like it or not. Here you have to respect the wishes of the people. For us, shows are a commercial enterprise. If viewers do not watch the show, how can we sell it (to advertisers)?

  • SPNI ropes in Rohan Jain as marketing head for English channels

    SPNI ropes in Rohan Jain as marketing head for English channels

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI) has hired Rohan Jain as head of marketing – English channels, a source close to the development informed Indiantelevision.com. Prior to joining the broadcaster, Jain was the head of marketing at Vodafone-Idea.

    Jain will report into EVP and business head of English channels Tushar Shah.

    The responsibilities of Jain’s current role were earlier helmed by Neville Bastawalla. The latter is now in charge of marketing for SPNI’s sports cluster.

    Jain’s experience spans over 14 years as a marketing professional with expertise in product management, brand management, customer segmentation, and lifecycle management.

    Before the merger of Vodafone Idea, he worked with Idea cellular for almost eight long years. He has also had stints at other telecom majors like Bharti Airtel and Aircel.

  • Manav Sethi joins Eros International as group CMO

    Manav Sethi joins Eros International as group CMO

    MUMBAI: Former ALTBalaji chief marketing officer Manav Sethi has joined content powerhouse Eros International, Indiantelevision.com has reliably learnt. In his latest gig, the senior executive has been handed the role of group chief marketing officer, reporting into CEO Eros Digital Rishika Lulla.

    Sethi joined ALTBalaji in January 2017. He created and implemented brand strategies to build awareness and loyalty of the platform.

    His experience spans over fifteen years in managing and scaling up teams across product, engineering, technology, and marketing both at national and international levels.

    Before taking up the high-profile role at ALTBalaji, he worked with ASKME.com. Sethi has also played a key role in various business verticals of Reliance Big Entertainment.

  • Mona Jain bags additional role of head revenues for ZEE Live

    Mona Jain bags additional role of head revenues for ZEE Live

    MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) has announced that Mona Jain, principal cluster head sales, will now take on the additional role of head revenues, Zee Live. She will closely work with Zee Live COO Swaroop Banerjee and will continue to report to ZEEL advertisement revenue chief growth officer Ashish Sehgal. 

    Jain has been a part of the ZEEL family currently heading the North branch at ZEEL and managing the revenue responsibility for channels like Zing, Zee ETC, Zee Anmol and Anmol Cinema, &TV and Big Magic. Subsequent to this, the sales team of Zee Live will get aligned to her and will continue to drive the business goals under her leadership.

    Zee Live aims at enhancing consumer experiences across key markets by conceptualising fresh and unique live intellectual properties across genres like music, culture, tech, lifestyle, sport and education.

  • Punit Goenka named new BARC India chairman

    Punit Goenka named new BARC India chairman

    MUMBAI: BARC India has elected Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) MD and CEO Punit Goenka as the new chairman at its board meeting held on 29 January. Goenka will be taking over from Nakul Chopra who successfully completed his one year tenure as chairman of the joint industry body.

    Goenka was the founder chairman of BARC India and played an instrumental role in setting up of the TV viewership measurement company. Under his leadership, BARC India established a robust measurement system that has helped industry grow with accurate data and actionable insights.  

    "It is indeed an honour and a privilege to be re-elected as BARC India chairman. The company has grown and evolved over the years under the able chairmanship of Sudhanshu and Nakul. Partho and his highly talented team has been able to achieve what we had all set out to. I am honoured to be back as this responsibility has come to me at a time when our industry is undergoing enormous changes and BARC India’s robust and accurate measurement system will only accelerate this transition. I am hoping that in my tenure, we will be able to take BARC into the next generation of viewership measurement and stay true to its mission of ‘What India Watches',” he said.  

    “Being the chairman of BARC India has been a great experience. BARC India in the past one year has made enormous strides in the insights and analytics piece. That apart, with visualisation products like the BIO suite of products as well as OOH viewership measurement, BARC India has been able to give to the industry a powerful tool which will help in the growth of the industry. I am glad that I have been a part of this journey. I wish Punit all the best for all the future endeavours,” added BARC India former chairman Nakul Chopra.

    “We welcome Punit as our new chairman. He played a critical role in setting up of BARC India, and has also been guiding us all through. His support has always helped the organisation take bold steps and innovate. We look forward to his leadership when the whole distribution paradigm is changing,” concluded BARC India CEO Partho Dasgupta.

  • ZMCL COO Rajiv Singh steps down

    ZMCL COO Rajiv Singh steps down

    MUMBAI: Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL) COO Rajiv Singh has stepped down from his role, with 28 February set to be his last working day, the company has notified the BSE. He will relinquish his duties as a board member on 31 January 2019.

    Singh joined Zee Media from Network18 where he was senior VP (business head) of News18 since August 2014. Prior to joining Network18, Singh was general manager, Middle East at Tribal Fusion, an online advertising network owned by Exponential Interactive.

    Singh has previously worked with Khaleej Times Online, Hindustan Times, Dainik Bhaskar and The Times of India, helping revitalize the media brands.

    Based on recommendations of the Nomination & Remuneration Committee, Vishwapati Trivedi, lAS (Retd.) has been appointed as additional director in the category of non-executive independent director with effect from January 24, 2019. 

    Punit Goenka has also been appointed as additional director in the category of non-executive non-independent director with effect from January 24, 2019.