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  • Discovery appoints Ralph Rivera as Eurosport Digital MD

    Discovery appoints Ralph Rivera as Eurosport Digital MD

    MUMBAI: Discovery Communications has appointed Ralph Rivera as managing director of Eurosport Digital. He will begin the role on 26 September and will be based in London. Rivera will report to Discovery Communications executive VP of international development and digital Michael Lang. He will also work closely with Eurosport CEO Peter Hutton and his leadership team.

    Commenting on the appointment, Lang said, “Recognized as one of the most forward-thinking digital executives in the world, Ralph brings extensive knowledge in the direct-to-consumer space, with a deep understanding of the digital landscape in Europe and a strong reputation for innovation and transformation. His product-centric mind set and technology orientation will help us to grow Eurosport Digital, which is one of Discovery’s top priorities, as we continue our march to making sports and all of our content accessible to viewers across all screens, in a highly meaningful and profitable way.”

    Eurosport is the number one sports destination in Europe and connects fans and athletes around the greatest sporting events across all screens. Rivera is charged with leading the aggressive expansion of Eurosport’s digital businesses, which today include Eurosport.com – the continent’s number one sports news website, and Eurosport Player – the leading subscription-based OTT sports platform across Europe giving fans an all-access pass anytime and on any device in 52 countries. He will collaborate with local teams to drive innovation for next-generation digital sports products and make the brand’s content available across all screens, to enhance viewers’ digital sports experience.

    With hundreds of millions of mobile data subscribers and growing OTT momentum via connected TVs, Europe provides a significant strategic opportunity to leverage both Rivera’s successful track record of creating immersive digital video products and Discovery’s recent investments in premium sports content. In Asia Pacific, Eurosport reaches more than 10 million fans.

    Hutton said, “Eurosport is focused on the further acquisition and delivery of locally relevant, premium sports content that will continue to attract more subscribers to the Eurosport Player. We continue to build momentum through the recent acquisition of premium rights such as Wimbledon across Europe and the Bundesliga in Germany. As we plan the enhanced delivery of these acquisitions and take ownership of the Olympic Rings from January 1, 2017, as the official multi-platform broadcast rights holder for Europe through 2024, we look forward to having Ralph as part of the Eurosport team.”

    Rivera joins from the BBC, where he spent six years as Director, BBC Digital and was responsible for all of the BBC’s digital media services, leading on the implementation and operation of BBC iPlayer as it grew by over 300% and delivering the first truly digital Olympic Games for London 2012, setting a new standard for live sports coverage online. Prior to the BBC, Rivera spent ten years at AOL, most recently as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Games, where he transformed the division from a loss leader to one of their most profitable media units.

    Rivera said, “Having enjoyed numerous successes with the BBC, my next move had to be big. The opportunity I have in leading the digital business at Eurosport is an amazing challenge, and working closely with Discovery’s world-class teams at Eurosport and across local markets, I hope to build next generation digital sports products, ensuring Eurosport consumers across Europe can enjoy more action, when and where they choose to view it.”

  • Discovery appoints Ralph Rivera as Eurosport Digital MD

    Discovery appoints Ralph Rivera as Eurosport Digital MD

    MUMBAI: Discovery Communications has appointed Ralph Rivera as managing director of Eurosport Digital. He will begin the role on 26 September and will be based in London. Rivera will report to Discovery Communications executive VP of international development and digital Michael Lang. He will also work closely with Eurosport CEO Peter Hutton and his leadership team.

    Commenting on the appointment, Lang said, “Recognized as one of the most forward-thinking digital executives in the world, Ralph brings extensive knowledge in the direct-to-consumer space, with a deep understanding of the digital landscape in Europe and a strong reputation for innovation and transformation. His product-centric mind set and technology orientation will help us to grow Eurosport Digital, which is one of Discovery’s top priorities, as we continue our march to making sports and all of our content accessible to viewers across all screens, in a highly meaningful and profitable way.”

    Eurosport is the number one sports destination in Europe and connects fans and athletes around the greatest sporting events across all screens. Rivera is charged with leading the aggressive expansion of Eurosport’s digital businesses, which today include Eurosport.com – the continent’s number one sports news website, and Eurosport Player – the leading subscription-based OTT sports platform across Europe giving fans an all-access pass anytime and on any device in 52 countries. He will collaborate with local teams to drive innovation for next-generation digital sports products and make the brand’s content available across all screens, to enhance viewers’ digital sports experience.

    With hundreds of millions of mobile data subscribers and growing OTT momentum via connected TVs, Europe provides a significant strategic opportunity to leverage both Rivera’s successful track record of creating immersive digital video products and Discovery’s recent investments in premium sports content. In Asia Pacific, Eurosport reaches more than 10 million fans.

    Hutton said, “Eurosport is focused on the further acquisition and delivery of locally relevant, premium sports content that will continue to attract more subscribers to the Eurosport Player. We continue to build momentum through the recent acquisition of premium rights such as Wimbledon across Europe and the Bundesliga in Germany. As we plan the enhanced delivery of these acquisitions and take ownership of the Olympic Rings from January 1, 2017, as the official multi-platform broadcast rights holder for Europe through 2024, we look forward to having Ralph as part of the Eurosport team.”

    Rivera joins from the BBC, where he spent six years as Director, BBC Digital and was responsible for all of the BBC’s digital media services, leading on the implementation and operation of BBC iPlayer as it grew by over 300% and delivering the first truly digital Olympic Games for London 2012, setting a new standard for live sports coverage online. Prior to the BBC, Rivera spent ten years at AOL, most recently as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Games, where he transformed the division from a loss leader to one of their most profitable media units.

    Rivera said, “Having enjoyed numerous successes with the BBC, my next move had to be big. The opportunity I have in leading the digital business at Eurosport is an amazing challenge, and working closely with Discovery’s world-class teams at Eurosport and across local markets, I hope to build next generation digital sports products, ensuring Eurosport consumers across Europe can enjoy more action, when and where they choose to view it.”

  • Jawhar Sircar sets 12-point action plan before early retirement

    Jawhar Sircar sets 12-point action plan before early retirement

    NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati Chief Executive Officer Jawhar Sircar wants to ride into the sunset slightly before his tenure ends officially first quarter 2017, but in his trademark  style — feisty, frank and fearless — has started a raging debate in media and political circles nevertheless.

    “No, I have not threatened to quit (but) have just expressed a desire to relinquish (duties) a few months before tenure (ends). I do not see any controversy in that,” Sircar told indiantelevision.com.

    Sources in Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) confirmed on Sunday that Sircar has not resigned yet, but has informally expressed desire to leave Prasar Bharati few months before his five-year tenure ends officially early 2017.

    A source in Prasar Bharati, while agreeing with the MIB line, informed this website that Sircar has drawn a 12-point list of things he would like to accomplish before relinquishing office. The source, however, declined to spell out the action points.

    Interestingly, in a Facebook post on his timeline Saturday, Sircar did say that he wants to go from Prasar Bharat, also alluding to the time-frame. “Since news is out today: I will clarify. I hope to be back in Kolkata by NOV. After 41+ years (of) service, I want to retire: just to read, write and relate,” he wrote. One presumes by NOV, he mean November of 2016.
    Sircar, who took office in mid-February 2012 and has been at odds at times with MIB and even the Prasar Bharati Board, told  indiantelevision.com, “The Information and Broadcasting Ministry and Prasar Bharati Board are in sync and supportive…. No issues there.”

    public://ScreenShot of Jawhar Sircar FB Post.jpg

    Pointing out that the present MIB Secretary Ajay Mittal had been “supportive” as also his immediate predecessor, Sunil Arora, who’s now an advisor to Prasar Bharati, Sircar described the speculation regarding his quitting the pubcaster as “playing in non-troubled waters”.

    According to the feisty former bureaucrat, relationship with MIB “improved dramatically” after Arora took over as Secretary in 2014.

    On being asked about the media reports and resultant debate on his quitting Prasar Bharati as he was “tired”, Sircar cryptically said he had not wanted to speak to anyone but was compelled to reply to some “charged SMS from some newspersons” when he was in Benaras or Varanasi recently. He refused to elaborate any further.

    A go-getter bureaucrat who took retirement from active government service to take up the top, but challenging, job at India’s pubcaster, managing Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR), Sircar had told indiantelevision.com few months back in an interview that Prasar Bharti’s “monopolistic-era mind-set had to change” if it has to make itself relevant in today’s vastly changed India broadcasting scenario or come anywhere near BBC’s standards.

    Not only critical of his own Board of Directors, Sircar had, from time to time, taken on the political establishment too in India, accusing it of using Prasar Bharati as a fiefdom for government propaganda.

    In recent times, he has been criticised within Prasar Bharati for proposing to auction time-slots on DD to gain good programming and additional revenue. However, due to bureaucracy and vested interests at play, the scheme failed to get the desired results, failing to take off in the first place.

    Still, Sircar has been able to break new grounds and introduce digital technologies and cut down obsolescence at Prasar Bharat. He has also given a new push to digitization of the huge archives of AIR and DD and has received three awards for this in three years.

    He has also been elected as Vice-President of the world’s largest public broadcasting service TV and radio organization, Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union, on which 67 nations are represented.

    Sircar’s name had been cleared after a three-member selection panel in 2012, headed by Vice-President Hamid Ansari and comprising the Press Council of India Chairman and MIB Secretary, recommended his name for the CEO’s post at Prasar Bharati. The appointment of the CEO is done by the President of India on the recommendation of the selection panel, which will, probably, have to start deliberations soon.

    Born on 22 March 1952, Sircar belongs to the 1975 batch of Indian Administrative Service from West Bengal. After the retirement of MIB Secretary Raghu Menon in September 2011, Sircar had been asked to hold additional charge of the ministry as a stop-gap measure, apart from his Secretary’s responsibilities at the Culture Ministry.

    Sircar holds two post-graduate degrees in Ancient Indian History and Culture and in Sociology with Social Anthropology. He has served at various senior positions in the Central and State Governments.

    Sircar is actively associated with several cultural and academic bodies like the Asiatic Society, Victoria Memorial, Centre for Archaeological Studies, Kolkata Museum of Modern Art and the Indian Anthropological Society. He took the lead in establishing the annual Kolkata Film Festival as an international event and has published several articles and research papers on history, culture and society. In the last decade, he has focused his research on specific aspects of popular culture, folk religion and on the development of socio-religious identities.

    Sircar studied at St Xavier’s School, Presidency College and Calcutta University in Kolkata and at the Universities of Cambridge and Sussex.

    ALSO READ:

    Prasar Bharati’s monopolistic-era mind-set has to change: CEO Jawhar Sircar

     

     

  • Jawhar Sircar sets 12-point action plan before early retirement

    Jawhar Sircar sets 12-point action plan before early retirement

    NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati Chief Executive Officer Jawhar Sircar wants to ride into the sunset slightly before his tenure ends officially first quarter 2017, but in his trademark  style — feisty, frank and fearless — has started a raging debate in media and political circles nevertheless.

    “No, I have not threatened to quit (but) have just expressed a desire to relinquish (duties) a few months before tenure (ends). I do not see any controversy in that,” Sircar told indiantelevision.com.

    Sources in Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) confirmed on Sunday that Sircar has not resigned yet, but has informally expressed desire to leave Prasar Bharati few months before his five-year tenure ends officially early 2017.

    A source in Prasar Bharati, while agreeing with the MIB line, informed this website that Sircar has drawn a 12-point list of things he would like to accomplish before relinquishing office. The source, however, declined to spell out the action points.

    Interestingly, in a Facebook post on his timeline Saturday, Sircar did say that he wants to go from Prasar Bharat, also alluding to the time-frame. “Since news is out today: I will clarify. I hope to be back in Kolkata by NOV. After 41+ years (of) service, I want to retire: just to read, write and relate,” he wrote. One presumes by NOV, he mean November of 2016.
    Sircar, who took office in mid-February 2012 and has been at odds at times with MIB and even the Prasar Bharati Board, told  indiantelevision.com, “The Information and Broadcasting Ministry and Prasar Bharati Board are in sync and supportive…. No issues there.”

    public://ScreenShot of Jawhar Sircar FB Post.jpg

    Pointing out that the present MIB Secretary Ajay Mittal had been “supportive” as also his immediate predecessor, Sunil Arora, who’s now an advisor to Prasar Bharati, Sircar described the speculation regarding his quitting the pubcaster as “playing in non-troubled waters”.

    According to the feisty former bureaucrat, relationship with MIB “improved dramatically” after Arora took over as Secretary in 2014.

    On being asked about the media reports and resultant debate on his quitting Prasar Bharati as he was “tired”, Sircar cryptically said he had not wanted to speak to anyone but was compelled to reply to some “charged SMS from some newspersons” when he was in Benaras or Varanasi recently. He refused to elaborate any further.

    A go-getter bureaucrat who took retirement from active government service to take up the top, but challenging, job at India’s pubcaster, managing Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR), Sircar had told indiantelevision.com few months back in an interview that Prasar Bharti’s “monopolistic-era mind-set had to change” if it has to make itself relevant in today’s vastly changed India broadcasting scenario or come anywhere near BBC’s standards.

    Not only critical of his own Board of Directors, Sircar had, from time to time, taken on the political establishment too in India, accusing it of using Prasar Bharati as a fiefdom for government propaganda.

    In recent times, he has been criticised within Prasar Bharati for proposing to auction time-slots on DD to gain good programming and additional revenue. However, due to bureaucracy and vested interests at play, the scheme failed to get the desired results, failing to take off in the first place.

    Still, Sircar has been able to break new grounds and introduce digital technologies and cut down obsolescence at Prasar Bharat. He has also given a new push to digitization of the huge archives of AIR and DD and has received three awards for this in three years.

    He has also been elected as Vice-President of the world’s largest public broadcasting service TV and radio organization, Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union, on which 67 nations are represented.

    Sircar’s name had been cleared after a three-member selection panel in 2012, headed by Vice-President Hamid Ansari and comprising the Press Council of India Chairman and MIB Secretary, recommended his name for the CEO’s post at Prasar Bharati. The appointment of the CEO is done by the President of India on the recommendation of the selection panel, which will, probably, have to start deliberations soon.

    Born on 22 March 1952, Sircar belongs to the 1975 batch of Indian Administrative Service from West Bengal. After the retirement of MIB Secretary Raghu Menon in September 2011, Sircar had been asked to hold additional charge of the ministry as a stop-gap measure, apart from his Secretary’s responsibilities at the Culture Ministry.

    Sircar holds two post-graduate degrees in Ancient Indian History and Culture and in Sociology with Social Anthropology. He has served at various senior positions in the Central and State Governments.

    Sircar is actively associated with several cultural and academic bodies like the Asiatic Society, Victoria Memorial, Centre for Archaeological Studies, Kolkata Museum of Modern Art and the Indian Anthropological Society. He took the lead in establishing the annual Kolkata Film Festival as an international event and has published several articles and research papers on history, culture and society. In the last decade, he has focused his research on specific aspects of popular culture, folk religion and on the development of socio-religious identities.

    Sircar studied at St Xavier’s School, Presidency College and Calcutta University in Kolkata and at the Universities of Cambridge and Sussex.

    ALSO READ:

    Prasar Bharati’s monopolistic-era mind-set has to change: CEO Jawhar Sircar

     

     

  • Annual Media Scholarship instituted in name of Big B

    Annual Media Scholarship instituted in name of Big B

    NEW DELHI: An annual media scholarship has been instituted in the name of the megastar Amitabh Bachchan for students of cinema and media who will be selected after an exhaustive process.

    The scholarship has been instituted by filmmaker Anand Pandit of Anand Pandit Motion Pictures.

    As the scholarship was announced, the star handed the Amitabh Bachchan Media Scholarship Trophy, a cheque of Rs 5 lakh as well as a certificate to this year’s winner Shradha Thorat from the Whistling Woods Institute.

    ‘I hope this scholarship will push students of cinema to strive for excellence. This scholarship is a wonderful gesture by Anand bhai to harness and nurture new talent. Anand bhai is a dear friend and I am humbled by his gesture in instituting this initiative. I hope this scholarship helps talented individuals pursue their love for cinema,’ said Bachchan.

    ‘I don’t see anyone better than Amit ji to inspire our younger generations. I feel a scholarship is a small ‎contribution to immortalise the biggest icon of Bollywood as well as give an opportunity to those who show true talent,’ said filmmaker Anand Pandit.

    The annual scholarship will be awarded to the student who shows promise and creativity. While the scholarship has gone to a student from Whistling Woods, Pandit is not yet decided whether this will be open to students from other institutions in later years.

    ‘Every year one student who excels will be awarded the scholarship in consultation with Mr Bachchan and Mr Pandit,’ said filmmaker and Whistling Woods founder Subhash Ghai.

  • Annual Media Scholarship instituted in name of Big B

    Annual Media Scholarship instituted in name of Big B

    NEW DELHI: An annual media scholarship has been instituted in the name of the megastar Amitabh Bachchan for students of cinema and media who will be selected after an exhaustive process.

    The scholarship has been instituted by filmmaker Anand Pandit of Anand Pandit Motion Pictures.

    As the scholarship was announced, the star handed the Amitabh Bachchan Media Scholarship Trophy, a cheque of Rs 5 lakh as well as a certificate to this year’s winner Shradha Thorat from the Whistling Woods Institute.

    ‘I hope this scholarship will push students of cinema to strive for excellence. This scholarship is a wonderful gesture by Anand bhai to harness and nurture new talent. Anand bhai is a dear friend and I am humbled by his gesture in instituting this initiative. I hope this scholarship helps talented individuals pursue their love for cinema,’ said Bachchan.

    ‘I don’t see anyone better than Amit ji to inspire our younger generations. I feel a scholarship is a small ‎contribution to immortalise the biggest icon of Bollywood as well as give an opportunity to those who show true talent,’ said filmmaker Anand Pandit.

    The annual scholarship will be awarded to the student who shows promise and creativity. While the scholarship has gone to a student from Whistling Woods, Pandit is not yet decided whether this will be open to students from other institutions in later years.

    ‘Every year one student who excels will be awarded the scholarship in consultation with Mr Bachchan and Mr Pandit,’ said filmmaker and Whistling Woods founder Subhash Ghai.

  • Epic TV ropes in Aditya Pittie as director tv

    Epic TV ropes in Aditya Pittie as director tv

    MUMBAI: It’s an epic move. Aditya Pittie of the Pittie Group as has hopped on board Epic TV as a director. He will lead the day-to-day operations of the linear television channel, focusing on all the commercial functions of revenues and costs.

    He will be responsible for taking Epic to the next level with stronger monetisation and alliances with advertisers and MSOs.

    Epic channel founder & MD Mahesh Samat said, “Aditya will bring in a fresh energy and a new impetus behind Epic. As the channel moves from the first phase of launch to the next phase of consolidation and monetisation, we need leadership that will take Epic to this next key step of its long-term journey. With his drive, focus and result-orientation, Aditya is uniquely qualified to lead the linear television business into the future.”

    Samat will continue to be on the board of the company and will focus on the strategic and business development areas of the company with a focus on digital and non-linear opportunities.

    Apart from spearheading the Pittie group, he has had extensive experience in real estate, media and FMCG. He has successfully turned around Sanskar TV in the past and recently launched a bouquet of channels under the Shubh brand. He has also been responsible in making Patanjali consumer products the success story they are today in modern retail, becoming their biggest distributor.

    The channel has been well-received with viewers and met with critical acclaim for its distinctive content.

    Pittie adds, “Epic is a strong brand in the television space and it’s an honour for me to lead the team and fulfill its legacy. In this phase of the company, we will focus on monetisation and work with our customers very closely to help brands and businesses achieve their goals through unique partnerships, while continuing to grow Epic’s viewership.”

    Epic’s has close to 500 hours of unique and original content in Indian history, folklore and mythology using a very contemporary story-telling approach. The platform used to show case the content so far has been the linear television format. However, the landscape of video streaming is changing dramatically due to the increase in mobile Internet users which is expected to reach to 792 million users by 2018. This represents a huge opportunity to showcase great content to the urban viewer. The Indian diaspora of 27 million people also represent great potential for good quality content.

    Adds Samat, “Digital is the most significant opportunity for content creators and EPIC is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this opportunity with its strong and distinctive content. With the app and other syndication opportunities, we expect this to be a strong part of the business model in the coming years.”

  • Epic TV ropes in Aditya Pittie as director tv

    Epic TV ropes in Aditya Pittie as director tv

    MUMBAI: It’s an epic move. Aditya Pittie of the Pittie Group as has hopped on board Epic TV as a director. He will lead the day-to-day operations of the linear television channel, focusing on all the commercial functions of revenues and costs.

    He will be responsible for taking Epic to the next level with stronger monetisation and alliances with advertisers and MSOs.

    Epic channel founder & MD Mahesh Samat said, “Aditya will bring in a fresh energy and a new impetus behind Epic. As the channel moves from the first phase of launch to the next phase of consolidation and monetisation, we need leadership that will take Epic to this next key step of its long-term journey. With his drive, focus and result-orientation, Aditya is uniquely qualified to lead the linear television business into the future.”

    Samat will continue to be on the board of the company and will focus on the strategic and business development areas of the company with a focus on digital and non-linear opportunities.

    Apart from spearheading the Pittie group, he has had extensive experience in real estate, media and FMCG. He has successfully turned around Sanskar TV in the past and recently launched a bouquet of channels under the Shubh brand. He has also been responsible in making Patanjali consumer products the success story they are today in modern retail, becoming their biggest distributor.

    The channel has been well-received with viewers and met with critical acclaim for its distinctive content.

    Pittie adds, “Epic is a strong brand in the television space and it’s an honour for me to lead the team and fulfill its legacy. In this phase of the company, we will focus on monetisation and work with our customers very closely to help brands and businesses achieve their goals through unique partnerships, while continuing to grow Epic’s viewership.”

    Epic’s has close to 500 hours of unique and original content in Indian history, folklore and mythology using a very contemporary story-telling approach. The platform used to show case the content so far has been the linear television format. However, the landscape of video streaming is changing dramatically due to the increase in mobile Internet users which is expected to reach to 792 million users by 2018. This represents a huge opportunity to showcase great content to the urban viewer. The Indian diaspora of 27 million people also represent great potential for good quality content.

    Adds Samat, “Digital is the most significant opportunity for content creators and EPIC is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this opportunity with its strong and distinctive content. With the app and other syndication opportunities, we expect this to be a strong part of the business model in the coming years.”

  • After Uday Shankar, Punit Goenka is new IBF president

    After Uday Shankar, Punit Goenka is new IBF president

    MUMBAI: The 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) was held in New Delhi today. In the IBF Board of Directors meeting thereafter, Punit Goenka (Managing Director & CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises) was elected as the Foundation’s President.

    The IBF Board also elected Rajat Sharma (Chairman, India TV), N.P. Singh (CEO, Sony Pictures Network), Sudhanshu Vats (Group CEO, Viacom 18), K. Madhavan (Managing Director, Asianet Communications) as Vice-Presidents; and K.V.L. Narayan Rao (Executive Vice-Chairperson, NDTV) as the Treasurer of the Foundation for a period of one year.

    After being appointed, Goenka said, “I am delighted to lead the Indian broadcasting sector at a time when there is a lot of churning and India is being looked upon as global destination for investments. In the ensuing and continuing efforts of making India as a broadcasting superpower, I wish to work in a most collaborative manner with the Government, Industry and other stakeholders for realization of the sector’s value chain to the optimum.”

    Outgoing IBF President Uday Shankar said, “I cannot think of a more suitable person than my dear friend, Punit Goenka to handover the leadership of IBF. Over the years, Punit has eminently helped me in navigating IBF through these volatile times. He is also the primary architect of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). His intelligence, dynamism and maturity will be great assets for IBF and the Indian media.”

  • After Uday Shankar, Punit Goenka is new IBF president

    After Uday Shankar, Punit Goenka is new IBF president

    MUMBAI: The 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) was held in New Delhi today. In the IBF Board of Directors meeting thereafter, Punit Goenka (Managing Director & CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises) was elected as the Foundation’s President.

    The IBF Board also elected Rajat Sharma (Chairman, India TV), N.P. Singh (CEO, Sony Pictures Network), Sudhanshu Vats (Group CEO, Viacom 18), K. Madhavan (Managing Director, Asianet Communications) as Vice-Presidents; and K.V.L. Narayan Rao (Executive Vice-Chairperson, NDTV) as the Treasurer of the Foundation for a period of one year.

    After being appointed, Goenka said, “I am delighted to lead the Indian broadcasting sector at a time when there is a lot of churning and India is being looked upon as global destination for investments. In the ensuing and continuing efforts of making India as a broadcasting superpower, I wish to work in a most collaborative manner with the Government, Industry and other stakeholders for realization of the sector’s value chain to the optimum.”

    Outgoing IBF President Uday Shankar said, “I cannot think of a more suitable person than my dear friend, Punit Goenka to handover the leadership of IBF. Over the years, Punit has eminently helped me in navigating IBF through these volatile times. He is also the primary architect of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). His intelligence, dynamism and maturity will be great assets for IBF and the Indian media.”