MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has hired Boston Consulting Group to conduct a comprehensive audit of its operations, according to media reports. The review, ordered by new chief executive Gaurav Banerjee (GB to his associates), aims to cut costs and boost efficiency across the broadcaster’s television and digital arms.
GB, who took the helm in 2024 after the departure of long-serving chief N.P. Singh, is driving the strategic overhaul as India’s broadcast sector grapples with spiralling content costs, fierce competition from digital rivals, regulatory interference and volatile advertising revenues.
The audit will scrutinise both SPNI’s 28 television channels and SonyLiv, its streaming platform, hunting for redundancies and wasteful spending on programming, marketing and content rights. BCG has been tasked with creating “a roadmap for sharper efficiency”, a senior executive told media outlets.
The consultancy’s mandate spans linear television and digital operations, with particular focus on aligning content investments with revenue reality. The exercise seeks to eliminate structural inefficiencies and streamline overlapping processes without disrupting core operations.
Industry analysts say GB’s decision to deploy BCG signals a new era of financial discipline. The timing is critical. SPNI reported revenues of Rs 651.1bn and net profit of Rs 84bn in the financial year ending March 2024. Subscription income reached Rs 320.6bn whilst advertising contributed Rs 282.5bn. Yet content costs are climbing faster than revenue growth, forcing a fundamental reassessment of the business model.
“The era of unchecked spending is over,” said an industry veteran. “This audit is about building a leaner, sharper SPNI that can weather current pressures and thrive in the next phase of media growth.”
The BCG review carries symbolic weight beyond operational fixes. For employees, partners and investors, it signals that GB intends to apply rigorous financial scrutiny to SPNI’s expansion plans. For rivals, it demonstrates that whilst SPNI will compete aggressively, it will avoid ruinous spending wars.
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