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Tag: Aroon Purie

  • “Indian media is going through a digital tsunami”: Aroon Purie

    “Indian media is going through a digital tsunami”: Aroon Purie

    NEW DELHI: The world is going digital and so is the print medium, which currently is at the forefront of a digital revolution. The digital boom has redefined print business. “Those in the medium, now call themselves as content producers,” said The India Today Group chairman and editor in chief Aroon Purie.

     

    According to Purie, print medium has gone a step further, as it now engages with the audience. Talking on monetisation in print at the CII Big Summit 2014, Purie emphasised on the growing need for those in the publication business, to engage with consumers in different ways. “We are going through a digital ‘tsunami’. The good news for print medium is that we are riding on top of this tsunami. But it is moving so fast that one doesn’t know where he/she is heading,” said Purie.

     

    While there was a time when print was in a depressed mood, things now have changed drastically. For Purie, print has converted the tsunami into an opportunity, where they are generating revenue not just by advertising in the print format but also on digital.

     

    Currently India has 240 million internet users, which according to reports will jump to 350-400 million in the next three to four years. “These are opportunities where content can be transferred,” he informed. The good thing, as for Purie, is that publishers in India have good content and so there is nothing to worry about when they go to the digital medium.

     

    But he agrees that the print content needs to be modified as per the medium, which is a challenge. “Traditional business is declining, while there is an increase in the digital business,” he informed.

     

    While advertisers are ready to catch the young eyeballs on the internet, digital advertising currently is not very prominent. “But the future is digital and if you don’t invest in that now, you will soon die,” he added.

     

    In order to have a healthy business, Purie suggested that the print industry should look at transforming itself into multi-platform, get into contextual advertising, build clients, brand launches for advertisers and also look at hosting events. “Sometimes the events become more popular and profitable than the publication itself,” he said. 

     

    Digital revolution has also changed the kind of content being produced. “Today, content needs to be designed in a way that it can be availed on any screen. It needs to be interactive, sharable and available all the time,” informed Purie.  

  • Shekhar Gupta quits India Today group, to pursue entrepreneurial interests

    Shekhar Gupta quits India Today group, to pursue entrepreneurial interests

    MUMBAI: Two months after joining the India Today group, Shekhar Gupta has decided to relinquish his duties as vice chairman of India Today group and editor in chief of news properties. He will now be the editorial advisor to India Today Group.

     

    Meanwhile, India Today Group chairman Aroon Purie will resume responsibilities of editor-in-chief. In an official statement, Poorie says, “Shekhar has spent the last two months getting to know the organization, and we him. After much thought and discussion, we have decided to restructure our arrangement to our mutual benefit.”

     

    Gupta will pursue his creative and entrepreneurial interests. His column, ‘National Interest’, will continue to be published along with other articles that he will pen exclusively for the India Today magazine. He will support the group as a sounding board, critic and mentor and will attend the India Today weekly news meetings to brainstorm with the team. 

     

  • Aditya Birla Group may exit India Today Group

    Aditya Birla Group may exit India Today Group

    MUMBAI: Even as rumours of the Adani group wanting to buy out NDTV is looming large, another company has decided to exit from the media business. The one so charming industry doesn’t seem to be boding well for all, it seems.

     

    According to media reports, the Aditya Birla Group is planning to cash out its investment in Living Media India, the holding company of the India Today Group and is said to have appointed Bank of America Merill Lynch (BofA-ML) for exiting the two year old investment in the Aroon Purie controlled group.

     

    Living Media acts as a holding company and owns 57.2 per cent stake in TV Today Network. The listed company controls its broadcasting assets, including Aaj Tak and Headlines Today, and operates its publishing business, which includes a host of magazines such as India Today.

     

    The Birla group bought 27.5 stake in May 2012 and had at that time said it saw media as a sunrise sector from an investment point of view and that Living Media offered one of the best opportunities for growth and value creation.

     

    Even though the companies never disclosed the price of the stake sale, according to experts, TV Today network was then valued at around Rs 1300-1400 crore and Birla paid about Rs 350 crore to buy the stake.

     

    Aditya Birla Group has also previously forayed into the media business through a production company Applause Entertainment in 2003 which shut down in 2009. The production house is known for Amitabh Bachchan starrer Black.

     

    The stake sale comes on the backdrop of Mukesh Ambani’s RIL taken over media house Network 18 gaining control over IBNlive.com, Moneycontrol.com, Firstpost.com, Cricketnext.in, Homeshop18, Bookmyshow.com and broadcast channels like Colors, CNBC TV18, CNN-IBN, IBN7 and CNBC Awaaz, all run by Network18.

  • Siblings bond on Raksha Bandhan

    Siblings bond on Raksha Bandhan

    For many it is a daily struggle – how to balance their daily routines between work and perosnal life. But there are occasions when even the wealthiest man, the most powerful CEO or politician has to forget the position his/her occupation has given him/her. When he/she is at home, the role they enact is simply that of a father or a mother or a son or a daughter and for those who are fortunate enough of a brother and a sister.

    Raksha Bandhan – a day that reminds brothers and sisters that they share a bond – for a lifetime. She ties a string on his wrist. She annoints his forehead with tikka, and does his pooja. The brother in turn promises to look after his sister, no matter what, and gives her a gift – and seeks her blesssing.  A moment that helps us connect and reminds us that we are human, that all is equal.

    On the eve of Raksha Bandhan, a pious festival, we take a look at some of the well-known brother-sister combinations in the industry. Over the years, they have created their own identities in the media and entertainment sector.  Whether it be broadcast, television, films or the government, these siblings have become powerhouses in their respective fields.

    On this special day, Indiantelevision.com features a few siblings in the media industry.

    Vandana Malik and Raghav Bahl

    The two together built an empire that recently shifted hands to another powerful person in the country. Indeed, brother sister duo Vandana Malik and Raghav Bahl gave their all to the Network 18 group in the span of two decades.

    In early 1990s when Raghav started producing shows for BBC including India Business Report, he roped in his sister Vandana to head operations from Mumbai. Vandana, a housewife,  knew zilch about the industry, took a bold step with her brother’s help and went on to be a core member of the group’s expansion in the years to come.

    Raghav stormed into the media industry with JVs with some of the big names across the world- Viacom, CNBC, CNN, Forbes, GS Home Shopping etc.

    Now with Network 18 being in the hands of one of India’s richest industrialists – Reliance Industries’ chairman Mukesh Ambani, Raghav has ventured into the hand held personalised news space while Vandana’s next venture is not yet known.

    Anurradha and Ravi Shankar Prasad

    She is the managing director of the BAG Network while her brother is the current Union Minister of Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. Anurradha Prasad and Ravi Shankar Prasad have both excelled in their fields, making their presence known wherever they go.

    While the sister is a power woman in the field of news and entertainment television, the brother is one of the country’s top leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party.

    Anurradha runs two TV channels, News 24 and E24 as well as a production house called BAG. Ravi helped establish Goa as the destination for holding the International Film Festival of India as well as led the Indian delegation to film festivals in Cannes, Venice and London.

    Ila Arun and Piyush Pandey

    The godfather of Indian advertising, Piyush Pandey, is brother of Ila Arun, the queen of Indian contemporary music. Born in Jaipur, both Piyush Pandey and Ila Arun are one of the most dynamic brother-sister duos in the media industry.

    While Ila, the singer who turned folk-pop into a craze is also a very talented writer, music director and actor, her ad-guru brother Piyush is Ogilvy & Mather India south Asia executive chairman and creative director. It was under his leadership O&M has become one of the largest advertising agencies in India. He has also penned a patriotic song ‘Mile Sur Mera Tumhara’ for the National Literacy Mission of India in 1988.

    And as Ila blends the rural and the urban traditions of India; Piyush brings the nation together through his addictive campaigns.

    Madhu Trehan and Aroon Purie

    The euphemism, two sides of the same coin, aptly suits the combination of brother sister duo Aroon Purie and Madhu Trehan. The Doon school educated Aroon is well known as the founder of the India Today group while Madhu is arguably one of India’s fiercest media critics today.

    Their father, the late Vidya Vilas Purie was a former film financer and owner of the Thompson Press who in 1975 launched a tabloid newspaper called India Today. Aroon and Madhu revived the tabloid into a fortnightly magazine initially targeting NRI’s.

    In 1977 when Madhu was pregnant she decided to move abroad to start a family. She handed over the magazine’s complete operations to her brother. When she returned to India in 1988, she launched Newstrack, a video news magazine and in 2012 she went on to launch Newslaundry a web portal that keeps a sharp check on the country’s media houses and people including those owned by her brother.

    Ekta and Tusshar Kapoor

    She is the queen of television.  Ekta Kapoor, who late into her teens was only known as Jeetendra’s daughter, is today the CEO of one of the finest production houses Balaji Telefilms in India. She was just 17 when she started working and since then, she has breathed, eaten and slept only television. Today, she also has a film production house – Balaji Motion Pictures – to her credit.

    Ekta shares a very strong bond with her brother Tusshar who is an actor. He has over 30 films under his belt. He is also the executive director of Balaji Motion Pictures.

    Nalini Singh and Arun Shourie

    They are the son and daughter of consumer rights activist, HD Shourie. Nalini Singh is a TV celebrity and senior Indian journalist who is known for her anchoring of the popular television show Ankhon Dekhi on Doordarshan. Her sibling, intrepid journalist Arun Shourie,is known for his writing in Indian Express during the emergency. He has now moved out of media to grace the hallowed corridors of power in New Delhi. He is a powerful politician, columnist and ex-Union Minister.

    Divya and Yogesh Radhakrishnan

    Known for always being on the two opposing ends of the table, Divya and Yogesh Radhakrishan are forces to be reckoned with in their respective fields. Divya set up her own specialty company, Helios Media for broadcasters after working in an agency model for over two decades. On the other hand, Yogesh, the former CEO of Prime Connect is now the director of Pioneer Channel Factory.

    Shavon Barua and Kaustav Niyogi

    She loves most things old world, fashion, travel off the map, her boys are her world and also happens to be the Havas Worldwide West + South India president. Shavon with over 15 years of experience has led major global brands like Pepsi, Nestle, Colgate, Palmolive and Lakme Lever (Unilever) at various agencies such as JWT, Publicis, Y&R, and SSC&B Lintas. Her brother is the Mad Man of the advertising fraternity. Kaustav Niyogi aka Kausti has worked with the big names like McCann Erikson, Rediffusion Y&R and Publicis as creative head. He is currently, busy directing Pooja Bhatt’s next film Cabaret.

  • Rajdeep Sardesai-Sagarika Ghose to join India Today group?

    Rajdeep Sardesai-Sagarika Ghose to join India Today group?

    MUMBAI: India’s power news couple – Rajdeep Sardesai and Sagarika Ghose – may be headed for Aroon Purie’s India Today group.

     

    While Sagarika is joining Living Media magazine India Today as editor at large, Rajdeep is reported to have got an offer to join the TV Today Network, which he confirmed to Indiantelevision.com.

     

    Said Sardesai: “Yes, Shekhar Gupta – vice-chairman, India Today group and editor in chief of news properties and I have been in discussion and we go back a long way. But I have not yet taken a decision. I am currently, focusing on my book for the next six weeks as I have to complete it by then.”

     

     Sources close to the India Today group however revealed that both Sagarika and Rajdeep have accepted the offer made to them. Their joining date is expected to be 1 August.  

     

    The India Today group has gone through some changes on the editorial front in the past few months with the magazine’s editor Kaveree Bamzai stepping down, Headlines Today managing editor Nalin Mehta quitting and Karan Thapar launching his show on the channel. 

     

    Sources indicate that Gupta has decided to give the group a new independent editorial thrust, something along the lines that the Indian Express group had in its heydays.

  • Sagarika Ghose tweets goodbye to CNN-IBN

    Sagarika Ghose tweets goodbye to CNN-IBN

    MUMBAI: Like so many others before her, she took to Twitter to announce her departure from the network she has been associated with for so long. CNN-IBN deputy editor Sagarika Ghose tweeted late on the night of 3 July: “Goodbye CNN-IBN. God bless!”

     

    Sagarika had gone on leave with her husband  IBN18 editor in chief Rajdeep Sardesai  last month and expectations were that she would return if one went by the email he had sent out to his team about their departure. 

     

    Speculation, however, was that she would not return to the channel – part of the Network18 group, now owned by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries – and would probably hop over to the Aroon Purie and TV Today Network owned English news channel Headlines Today.

     

    She also sent out a message to her colleagues at CNN-IBN in which she stated that she was leaving to try her hand at something “a little more challenging and creative, explore new vistas in reportage and commentary after almost a quarter of a century in journalism, among them 9 fabulous years at CNN-IBN.”
     
     
    She added in the message: “CNNIBN has not only been an integral part of my life for almost every waking minute these past years, but more important, working with you has been a joy and an honour. At CNNIBN, an incredible team of professionals brought total commitment and integrity to reporting the news. We put journalism first and because of that we became a trusted and much loved brand.
     
     
    “A free fearless press is the infrastructure of democracy–without it the term “citizenship” is diminished indeed. CNNIBN was always free and responsible! That’s why it became such an incredible success, so beloved of viewers. We created magic and that magic touched millions of lives, and the magic will remain with each of us always! The words of John Tusa, the venerable former director general of BBC World Service come to me: “Journalists cannot become the outriders of authority…but the freedom we have is the freedom to be responsible,” continued Sagarika in the message.
     
     
    She ended it with: “Good bye is an unhappy word. I prefer au revoir..until we meet again.”

     

    It is not known whether Rajdeep too will be following in the footsteps of his wife and announcing his departure from the news network, but once again speculation is that it is only a matter of time. Apparently, he has an offer to pen a book from Penguin.

     

     

    Sagarika is the daughter of former DD director general Bhaskar Ghose, who strove to change the face of the pubcaster.

     

    Meanwhile, even as she posted her farewell on Twitter and in a message, her husband announced on Twitter that he is  “reading Dilip Kumar bio and listening to SJ/Mukesh/Shailendra classic: yeh mera deewanapan hai.. Bliss! Gnight, shubhratri.”

  • India Today Group presents Salaam Sachin – The biggest Farewell to Sachin Tendulkar

    India Today Group presents Salaam Sachin – The biggest Farewell to Sachin Tendulkar

    MUMBAI: As Sachin Tendulkar readies to retire after his 200th test, an extraordinary farewell is getting planned at the India today group- “Salaam Sachin Conclave. The conclave is scheduled to take place in a city hotel in Mumbai on November 12, 2013.

    After 24 years, there are few records the Little Master hasn’t broken. In his journey, there are a few people who’ve seen him grow from the young curly haired promising batsman to the time he became the first man to score 100 international centuries. Salaam Sachin Conclave will witness enthralling, informative & entertaining sessions with noted Sports personalities ranging from people like Sunil Gavaskar, Ajit Wadekar and Anshuman Gaekwad who have seen Sachin grow through the years …. As well as his fierce rival Waqar Younis and close friends – Brian Lara and Saurav Ganguly.

    The high point of the conclave will be Brian Lara sharing his opinion on Lara vs. Sachin in a never before session. Sachin is rated as the best batsman in his generation by many contemporaries, Indian audiences have always been curious on what Lara thinks about this comparison.

    The viewers will get a glimpse of the learnings players like Suresh Raina and Gautam Gambhir drew from the legend. Sports personalities such as Sania Mirza, Sushil Kumar and Vijender Singh will also share their views on how Sachin has been an inspiration to them and how he has handled unrivalled pressure for a long 24 years. Apart from the world of sports, the conclave will also have presence of Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan who will talk about Sachin being a Hero for every Indian. Sachin’s brother Ajit Tendulkar will share an account of how he encouraged Sachin to play cricket and how Sachin dealt with his most painful moments in life.

    The conclave will include various sessions on Sachin’s life, his journey, his childhood, his achievements and his family. The first session on Sachin’s formative years will be delivered by his own sporting idol, Sunil Gavaskar, followed by a discussion between Suresh Raina, Gautam Gambhir and Irfan Pathan together talking on how Sachin Tendulkar is an inspiration for younger generation.

    A special session will also see the prominent names from corporate India talking on how Sachin has been the biggest brand in Indian Sporting history.

    The day will also have predictions from the cricketing greats in the session, “the Sachin era and the future” addressed by former Indian cricketers Ajit Wadekar, Bishan Singh Bedi, Anshuman Gaekwad and Kiran More. “Mumbai versus Bowral: The mantle of the Greatest” will be a subject of debate among cricketing greats Kapil Dev, Saurav Ganguly, Mohammad Azharuddin, and Brian Lara.
    The conclave will also feature an exhibition of rare Sachin memorabilia by the well known British memorabilia expert Hamilton Bland. 

    Expressing his thoughts on the Salaam Sachin conclave, Aroon Purie, Chairman & Editor in Chief, India Today Group said, “The life of a legend cannot be better captured but by those who’ve shared rare moments with him. India’s imagination has been dominated for over 24 years by the finest batsman the world’s ever seen. From his younger days and to the ultimate match of a brilliant career – he stood for Indian hope and pride. Salaam Sachin should be and will be a fitting salute to the all time greatest ambassador of the game.”

    Ashish Bagga, Group CEO, India Today Group, added “As the Man at the centre of India’s biggest passion signs out, it is important to express our gratitude to the legend. It has been an honour for many like us to watch him play and a few of us have also had the opportunity of interacting with him. With Salaam Sachin, we bring the world of Sachin fans closer to the Sachin they haven’t seen and the Sachin they are going to miss.”

    The high points of the session will be telecast LIVE on Aaj Tak and Headlines Today along with over a 25 hour programming churned out of the conclave over the weeks.

  • NDTV & Network 18 win top ‘NT’ honours; Aroon Purie gets Lifetime Achievement

    NDTV & Network 18 win top ‘NT’ honours; Aroon Purie gets Lifetime Achievement

    NEW DELHI:The NDTV and Network 18 groups bagged top honours at the Second annual Indian News Television Awards held in New Delhi on Saturday, August 9, 2008.

    Conceptualised and executed by IndianTelevision.com, the top honours were as follows:

    In the English news segment: NDTV 24X7 won the News Channel Popular – (English) on the basis of TAM viewership ratings, CNN-IBN was the Numero Uno English News Channel of the year on the basis of maximum number of awards won in the news category and TIMES NOW was conferred the Best News Channel Critics – (English) award.

    In the Hindi news segment, AAJ TAK was honoured with the Best News Channel popular – (Hindi) award while the Numero Uno Hindi News Channel of the year award went to NDTV INDIA.

    In the Business news channels segment, Best Business news channel (Critic) award was bagged by CNBC TV18, while the Numero Uno Business Channel of the year honours were shared by CNBC TV18, NDTV Profit and CNBC Awaaz.

    TV Today Group editor-in-chief and chairman Aroon Purie was honoured with the NT Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the TV news industry. He received the award from NDTV chairman Prannoy Roy.

    Purie said, “I love news. Twenty-four-hour news channels are the greatest invention of recent times. They have changed the way of public discourse. India is a great country to have so many news channels as many things keep happening every day at every hour. It is like a Formula1 race car, which never stops.”

    Purie has been instrumental in redefining journalism in India. In 1975, he founded the India Today Group, which is now acknowledged as one of India’s most diversified media conglomerates. The TV Today Group has launched a pack of four news channels, with Aaj Tak as a leader in the Hindi space.

    Among the luminaries who attended the function at the Taj Palace hotel were MP Rajeev Shukla, BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy, former IPS officer Kiran Bedi, former Test cricketer Madan Lal, BAG Films and Media MD Anurradha Prasad and fashion designer Ritu Kumar among others.

    The show, anchored by Channel V veejays Lola Kutty and Juhi, saw spirited performances by A Band of Boys.

    Award List:

    Sr.no. Category Awardee News Channel
    1
    Most Popular English News Channel

    NDTV 24×7

    NDTV 24×7

    2
    Most Popular Hindi News Channel

    Aaj Tak Aaj Tak
    3
    Numero Uno English News Channel

    CNN-IBN

    CNN-IBN

    4
    Numero Uno Hindi News Channel

    NDTV India

    NDTV India

    5 Numero Uno Business News Channel CNBC-TV18, NDTV Profit, CNBC Awaaz
    CNBC-TV18, NDTV Profit, CNBC Awaaz
    6
    Best News Channel (Critics’ Choice) – English

    Times Now

    Times Now

    7 Best News Channel (Critics’ Choice) – Hindi

    8 Best News Channel (Critics’ Choice) – Business
    CNBC-TV18

    CNBC-TV18

    9 Best TV News Anchor – English Rajdeep Sardesai
    CNN IBN
    10 Best TV News Anchor – Hindi Pankaj Pachauri
    NDTV India
    11 Best Business News Anchor – English Shivnath Thukral NDTV Profit
    12 Best Business News Anchor – Hindi Mehraj Dubey NDTV India
    13 Best Entertainment Critic Rajeev Masand CNN IBN
    14 Best Entertainment News Show Host – Hindi Shekhar Suman Star News
    15 Best Sports News Show Presenter – English Sonali Chander (Sports Unlimited) NDTV 24×7
    16 Best Sports News Show Presenter – Hindi Afshan Anjum (Jeet Lee Duniya) NDTV India
    17 Best TV News Reporter – English Poonam Aggarwal NDTV 24×7
    18 Best TV News Reporter – Hindi Kamal Khan NDTV India
    19 The Indiantelevision.Com Editor’s Special Award for Excellence as an Anchor
    Romana Issar Zee News
    20 Best Crime Show – Hindi Criminal
    IBN 7
    21 Best Crime Show – English India 60 Minutes (BMW Expose) NDTV 24×7
    22 Best Auto Show – Hindi Chakke Pe Chakka Aaj Tak
    23 Best Auto Show – English The Car & Bike Show NDTV Profit
    24 Best Promo Campaign By a News Channel IBN CJ Concept CNN IBN
    25 Best Promo for any News Show Aap Ka Budjet Aaj Tak
    26 Best Promo for a Channel 21 Years Of Experience NDTV 24×7
    27 Lifetime Contribution to Television News Aroon Purie, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief
    TV Today Network
    28 Best Lifestyle & Fashion News Show – Hindi Zaika India Ka NDTV India
    29 Best Lifestyle & Fashion News Show – English Business On Course NDTV Profit
    30 Best Entertainment News Show – Hindi Jai Jawan NDTV India
    31 Best Entertainment News Show – English Jai Jawan NDTV 24×7
    32 Best Sports News Show – Hindi Jeet Lee Duniya NDTV India
    33 Best Sports News Show – English Final Score
    CNN IBN
    34 Best Talk Show on News Channel- Hindi
    Zindagi Live (Family Of Suicide Victims)
    IBN 7
    35 Best Talk Show on News Channel- English State Of The Nation CNN IBN
    36 Best Business Talk Show – Hindi Kaun Rahega Corepati CNBC Awaz
    37 Best Business Talk Show – English Young Turks CNBC TV 18
    38 Best Business News Programme – Hindi Stock Talk CNBC Awaz
    39 Best Business News Programme – English UP South CNBC TV 18
    40 Best Investigative News Report – Hindi Maya (Godmen OR Conmen) & Operation Kalank (Gujarat Riots)

    IBN 7 &
    Aaj Tak
    41 Best Investigative News Report – English (NDTV Special) Bangladesh Special NDTV24x7
    42 Best News Documentary Programme-limited Episodes – Hindi Khas Khabron Ki Khabar – Bundelkhand NDTV India
    43 Best News Documentary Programme – limited Episodes – English Remembering 7/11: Let We Forget CNN IBN
    44 Best Show On Environment Awareness – Hindi Shikhar Se Oonche NDTV India
    45 Best Show On Environment Awareness – English A Question Of Land CNN IBN
    46 Best Current Affaris Programme-Limited (Home & International) – Hindi Khas Khabron Ki Khabar – Sez NDTV India
    47 Best Current Affairs Programme-limited (Home & International) – English Devil’s Advocate CNN IBN
    48 Best Daily Newscast – Hindi News Point NDTV India
    49 Best Daily Newscast – English India 60 Minutes NDTV 24×7
    50 Best-Presented Popular News Show – Hindi Khabardar NDTV India
    51 Best-Presented Popular News Show – English Face The Nation (Chak Diya India Special) CNN IBN
    52 Most Popular Entertainment News Show Saas Bahu aur Saazish Star News
    53 Best News Channel Website
    IBN Live.com CNN IBN
    SPECIAL AWARDS PRESENTED BY MOVICO
    54 Movico Technology Award for Business News Channel To Watch Out for in the coming year UTVi UTVi
    55 Movico Technology Award for Pioneering initiatives in Digital Technology
    NewsX
    NewsX
    56 Movico Technology Award for Hindi News Channel To Watch Out for in the coming year Voice of India Voice of India

  • NT Awards to confer Lifetime Achievement Award to Aroon Purie

    NT Awards to confer Lifetime Achievement Award to Aroon Purie

    MUMBAI: Indiantelevision.com is all set to confer India Today Group editor-in-chief and chairman Aroon Purie with News Television’s (NT) Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the TV news industry.

    Purie is among the select few who have been instrumental in redefining journalism in India. In 1975, he founded the India Today Group, which is now acknowledged as one of India’s most diversified media conglomerates.

    Purie’s understanding of the Indian media space is reflected in the number of media properties he has successfully started. The TV Today Group has launched a pack of four news channels with Aaj Tak as a leader in the Hindi space.

    The NT awards will be held on 9 August in New Delhi at the second Indian News Television Summit 2008, which will see well known faces of the TV News fraternity discussing “commercialisation” and “regionalisation” of news.

    The event will kick off with a welcome address by Indiantelevision Dot Com founder, CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari, followed by an industry report. Ministry of information and broadcasting secretary Sushma Singh will deliver an industry keynote during the occasion.

    Different news channels will present their perspectives in a panel discussion, titled The Commercial Imperative. The summit schedule also includes an interactive sesion with Al Jazeera English managing editor Tony Burman and a post lunch session on “Regionalisation seeking pockets of success.”

  • Aaj Tak expands to UK with Sony’s Max bouquet

    MUMBAI: TV Today Network has launched its flagship 24-hour Hindi news channel Aaj Tak in UK. This will be available as part of Max Mix bouquet along with ARY Digital, Pakistan’s leading entertainment channel.

    The Max Mix bouquet consists of Max, Sahara One, and Filmy channels.

    TV Today Network CEO and executive director G Krishnan said, “Over the last two years, we have been eyeing opportunities in markets with a sizeable Indian Diaspora. After US, the Middle East and continental Europe, UK is the next logical step for us. Launching Aaj Tak on the Max Mix platform will offer the viewers with live news and analysis from home right into their living room. We are delighted to be a part of the bouquet, which has popular channels representing a wide array of programming.”

    TV Today chairman and managing director Aroon Purie said, “Aaj Tak has been able to successfully widen the viewership base for news in India. Combined with our launch in the US and continental Europe, this step will further widen the base for Indian news internationally.”

    Sony Entertainment Television (SET) executive vice-president for international business Rajan Singh said, “We are absolutely thrilled to be bringing Aaj Tak and ARY Digital into the Max Mix bouquet. These fantastic channels represent a huge addition to Max Mix further enhancing its position as the leading provider of quality Asian entertainment across programming genres. Aaj Tak is India’s leading news channel whilst ARY Digital perfectly compliments Max Mix’s commitment to quality entertainment, choice and value. We look forward to bringing our viewers even more quality channels in the near future.”