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Tag: Avinash Kaul

  • Network18 hands Avinash Kaul, Rahul Kansal additional portfolios

    Network18 hands Avinash Kaul, Rahul Kansal additional portfolios

    MUMBAI: Close on the heel of a senior executive from Network18 group announcing his departure and internal synergies being brought about in the company for better cohesion and functioning, the organisation has handed some other top execs newer responsibilities.

    Reliance Industries Ltd-controlled Network18 COO Avinash Kaul  has been handed the sales responsibilities for the group with all national sales heads reporting into him. Kaul will continue to be the MD of A+E at TV18, the television arm of Network18 that controls the largest number of TV news channels in India.

    Brand wiz Rahul Kansal , who cut his teeth at the Times of India group and joined Network18 earlier this year as group brand advisor, has been given interim charge of the overall marketing for network. Day-to-day activities will be taken care of by respective TV channels.

    Two recent departures from the group and a joint venture included that of Forbes India CEO and Network 18 President (Revenue) Joy Chakraborthy  and Viacom18 COO Raj Nayak . Nayak will stay on till early 2019 with the company that’s a joint venture with American media giant Viacom.  

    Apart from Kaul and Kansal getting additional responsibilities, Network18 president of special projects Priyanka Kaul will take over the charge of broadcast Focus and branded content and is shortly expected to revamp the Focus division.

    The two Kauls and Kansal will continue to report to Network18 and TV18 MD Rahul Joshi.

    Network18 Media and Investments Ltd is a media and entertainment company with interests in television, internet, filmed entertainment, digital business, magazines, mobile content and allied businesses. The company manages various digital businesses, including portals such as moneycontrol.com, ibnlive.com, burrp.com, in.com and firstpost.com.

    It also operates digital commerce properties like HomeShop18 and bookmyshow.com. In addition, Network18 is a leading player in the publishing space having under its wing titles such as Forbes India, Overdrive, Better Interiors and Better Photography.

    Through its subsidiary TV18 Broadcast Limited, the group operates news channels such as CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNBC Bajar, CNBC-TV18 Prime HD, CNN-News18, IBN7, ETV channels and News18 Lokmat (a Marathi regional news channel in partnership with the Lokmat group).

    TV18 also operates a joint venture with Viacom, called Viacom18, which houses a portfolio of popular entertainment channels like Colors, Colors HD, Colors Infinity, Rishtey, MTV India, MTV Indies, Comedy Central, Vh1, Nick, Sonic, Nick Jr, Teen Nick and Viacom18 Motion Pictures, the group's filmed entertainment business. TV18 operates a factual entertainment channel History TV18 and FYI TV18 through a joint venture with A+E Networks.

  • History TV18 to release third film in ‘Special Operations India’ series

    History TV18 to release third film in ‘Special Operations India’ series

    MUMBAI: On New Year’s Eve 2015, a group of terrorists from Pakistan set into motion, a plan to attack the Indian Air Force Station at Pathankot, Punjab. Their objective – to destroy defence assets and kill as many Indian citizens as possible. 

    Following a police report, Indian Intelligence agencies intercept calls made by the terrorists and take measures to pre-emptthe attack. The sprawling 2,000-acre Pathankot Air Base goes on red alert. After lying hidden for almost 24 hours, the terrorists are spotted. The hunt begins. 

    History TV18 presents the true story of the Counter Terror Operation as it unfolded, with “Special Operations India: Pathankot” on Monday, 25th June 2018. The one hour documentary based on true events, is the third film in the “Special Operations India” limited series. The first two, were the path-breaking features about India’s Surgical Strikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and the Indian Special Forces action on insurgent camps in Myanmar. 

    At Pathankot, the Garud Commando Force – the IAF’s first line of defence – along with the National Security Guard (NSG) – India’s elite federal contingency force – were called upon to neutralize the terrorist threat. A deadly, full blown counter terror operation unfolded on home soil. The documentary recreates the mission – to hunt down and eliminate the Fidayeen terrorists – in dramatic action sequences, with authenticity, expert insights and little known facts.  

    Indian Special Forces successfully prevented the terrorists from damaging Indian Air Force assets.  Civilians on the air force station were also kept safe. But there was a price. Brave Indian defence personnel made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. This is as much their story. 

    The tense narrative follows India’s Garud and NSG Commandos in their mission to stop the suicide attackers. The story is pieced together, with new findings and first-hand accounts of the men, who fought to protect India’sfrontline airbase.

     Ajit Doval – National Security Advisor to the Govt of India; Air Marshal S.B Deo – Vice Chief of Air Staff; Manohar Parrikar – Former Defence Minister; Force Commander – National Security Guard (identity undisclosed); IAF Group Captain V. Badoni;Squadron Leader – Garud Commando Force (identity undisclosed); IAF Squadron Leader Yashu Bhardwaj and Nitin Gokhale – Defence Analyst and Author, tell the compelling story in their own words, with rare insights. 

    Details of the operation – of what transpired behind the scenes, the trials, setbacks and triumphs – emerge, as never before.This is the definitive account of an Indian military op that is a major event in the history of India’s fight against cross border terrorism.

    TV18 COO Network18 and MD A+E Networks Avinash Kaul said “Special OperationsIndia: Pathankot is yet another example of our commitment to showcase inspiring true stories of valour and sacrifice.  This is a compellingstory of the grit and mettle of Indian Security Forces. These India productions add a new dimension to our programming, making high-voltage, contemporary stories come alive through first person narratives of the people directly involved. Such shows, with stellar production values and new-age storytelling, have clearly established HISTORY TV18 as the leader in Factual Entertainment in India”

    Catch Special Operations India: Pathankot on HISTORY TV18 on Monday, 25th June 2018 at 9pm. 

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  • Network18 to launch News18 Bharat

    Network18 to launch News18 Bharat

    MUMBAI: Network18 is adding another feather to its cap. The network is all geared up to launch a new Hindi news channel, News18 Bharat, to its bouquet of 20 news channels. According to a source privy to the information, the channel has begun testing but the launch date is still not clear.

    Network18, however, denied the development when Indiantelevision.com reached out to the network.

    Out of Network18’s portfolio of 20 channels, 14 are regional channels, four are business news channels and the remaining are general news channels. The network already has five regional channels for the Hindi-speaking states—News18 India, CNBC Awaaz, News18 Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand, New18 Madhya Pradesh- Chhattisgarh and News18 Punjab-Haryana-Himachal.

    With New18 Bharat entering the fray, competition in the Hindi news genre is expected to hot up. The channel will be free to air to begin with but may shift to the pay model with 24×7 news programming. The format of the channel will be MPEG4/DVBS2 while the frequency rate is 4035 Hz. The testing of the transmission service has started on Intelsat20 at 68.5 degrees east.

    If we have a look at Broadcast Audience Research Council’s numbers in the Hindi news genre, New18 India is in the top-five list in the Hindi-speaking market (HSM U+R) and urban. News18 Bharat is likely to be targeted at rural India.

    Recently, Network18 elevated Avinash Kaul as the chief operating officer (COO).

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  • Special Operations India: Myanmar

    Special Operations India: Myanmar

    MUMBAI: District, Manipur. 18 Indian soldiers were martyred, in what was one of the worst militant attacks in North-East India in a decade. In response, the Indian Army sent in Paratrooper Special Forces to trace the attackers along the India Myanmar Border and destroy their militant stronghold, before more terror attacks could follow. It was a classified mission that’s now known as Operation Hot Pursuit. HISTORY TV18 presents the true story of this counter-insurgency operation in a new documentary – Special Operations India: Myanmar, a one –hour feature premiering28th March, 2018 at 9pm. This is the second film in the Special Operations India mini-series, the first one being the path-breaking documentary about India’s Surgical Strikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

    “Operation Hot Pursuit”was a race against time. It remainsone of India’s most daring military operations in recent history. It wasthe need of the hour, following the militant attack on an Indian Army convoy. The ambush had been planned and carried out by an insurgent group called the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khapalang (NSCN K). The NSCN-K is a well-organized militia operating in North East India. Their funding comes from extortion, kidnappings and gun-running in the region. Sources also believe they are covertly aided by foreign powers. Following the ambush, Indian military intelligence showedthat the insurgents had retreated to a large camp along the Indo-Myanmar Border. Swift counter insurgency measures were needed, to deter militants waging war against the Union of India. The Indian Army’s elite Paratrooper Special Forces unit in the North East were tasked with the mission. The HistoryTV18documentary follows these Jungle Warfare Specialists on their deadly mission against the NSCN- K.

    The story is told through the experiencesof the men leading the operation and the decision makers in India’s military establishment at the time.The narrative relies on the first person accounts ofAjit Doval, National Security Advisor to the Government of India, General Bipin Rawat, India’s current Chief of Army Staff and the Special Forces Team Leader (identity undisclosed) spearheading the assault on ground. The programme also featuresManohar Parrikar, Former Defence Minister, General Dalbir Singh, Former Chief of Army Staff andNitin Gokhale,Defence Analyst and author, who share their insights.

    Avinash Kaul, Managing Director A+E Networks | TV18 &COO Network18 said, “After the great success of our India original production “Surgical Strikes” we’re showcasing another compelling recreation of the heroic deeds of the Indian Army: ‘Special-Operations: India. Myanmar’. This show best epitomizes our brand & content promise- to bring forth inspiring stories of ‘history being made every-day’. We believe that contemporary shows like these will go a long way in establishing HISTORY TV18 at the forefront of factual entertainment in India.

    The narrative follows India’s Special Forces on their secret mission, through dramatic twists and turns in the unfolding story. Authentic recreations across locations in North-East India, details of the planning and execution, first person accounts of themen in charge, along with top end production values make this a genre-defining show. Incredible visuals filmed in 4K and High Definition with high-speed cameras, expertly choreographed action sequences,factual rigor and great storytelling lie at the heart of the immersive viewing experience.

    Special Operations India: Myanmar is factual entertainment at its best – an Indian production,with world-class standardsthat tells an Indian story.

    When peace is threatened, heroes of the Indian Army rise to answer the call of duty. Special Operations India: Myanmar honors those who put themselves in the line of fire for the nation.

  • Network18 appoints Avinash Kaul as COO

    Network18 appoints Avinash Kaul as COO

    MUMBAI: Network18, one of India’s most diversified media conglomerates, has elevated Avinash Kaul as chief operating officer. In his new role, Kaul will oversee the operations of all national and regional news channels.

    He will continue to remain the managing director of A+E Networks at TV18.

    Kaul joined TV18, one of India’s leading television broadcast networks, in mid-2014 and since then has been responsible for the overall profit and loss responsibilities of all the brands managed by him.

    Network18 recently unveiled India’s largest News Network–News18 Network at a highly successful event Rising India in New Delhi. The event marked an important milestone in the journey of the group as it transitioned the entire general news network under one brand.

    Kaul has nearly 20 years of experience across advertising sales, distribution, programming and marketing. Prior to joining TV18, he was the CEO at Times Television Network managing Times Now, ET Now and Zoom.

    According to his LinkedIn profile, Kaul is a board member of the Media Research Users Council (MRUC), an industry body that owns and manages the IRS (Indian Readership Survey).

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  • Regional to be at the forefront of content

    Regional to be at the forefront of content

    MUMBAI: The regional space in India is the new target for everyone. But what exactly is it that pulls content creators to divide themselves into India’s varied languages and will this fad stay in the future, too? The question was discussed in a FICCI Frames 2018 session titled ‘regional is the new mass media.’

    The News Minute managing editor Dhanya Rajendran said that any market outside of Mumbai and Delhi is considered regional, which the national media has ignored for a long time while underestimating its potential. “In the last two years, with the advent of digital media, more and more media houses have started realising that there is a lot of readership not because of good journalism, but because they know that there are consumers in places such as Bengaluru, Vijayawada, Madurai and Vishakhapatnam consuming all kinds of content,” he said adding that he hoped that more digital spaces would spring up in Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Bihar in the next two to three years. “Our mainstream media will be forced to follow-up news stories that they were keeping in the backburner and looked down upon as regional stories,” he said.

    Eminent sports columnist and journalist Ayaz Memon pointed out that sports was the classic example of a mass media product. “Football is the biggest sport in Europe, but there is a difference between the French, the Dutch and the English viewing the same match. Look at the regional newspapers like Manorama, Matrabhumi and Anand Bazaar Patrika. At one time, they were larger selling newspapers than the English ones. The easiest to penetrate has been sports because the language of sports is universal. The language of consumption of sports may differ from Tamil, Telugu and Kannada and consumers enjoy consuming the content in the language they easily understand.”  

    Network18 has been prominent in venturing into the digital space. Its group president Avinash Kaul said, “Regional is dominating the entire space, the regional wave is here to stay and will continue to grow. We have around 270 regional channels out of 500 channels overall in BARC. The regional viewership is higher than the Hindi viewership and has a market share of 47 per cent. General entertainment channels (GEC) being the biggest attraction, regional GECs have 30 per cent more viewership than Hindi GECs. If we take a look at the advertisers, the regional market has seen an increase of 20 per cent in the last two years and around 3500 advertisers are exclusive to the regional market.”

    Your Story managing editor Darlington Hector said that the news platform decided to branch out into the regional market in 2012-13 with Hindi, Tamil and Bangla. He said that in the late 90s, the English content consumption was around 80 per cent globally and the next decade around 2007-08 it dropped to about 27 per cent. English as a preferred language of consumption has been dropping in importance every decade and he sees that happening in the future as well. “The reason for this is the loss of credibility in the last few years and a good opportunity now for online digital platforms to express better. People do connect emotionally with the regional media today, which I am not seeing with the national media today. The television anchor has played a big role in destroying the credibility. The next 25 years will be the golden period for the regional languages of India, especially online,” he concluded.

    Both broadcast and online platforms are vehemently marching into the country’s various languages. Hindi and English, which till now were the holders of the mediums, will slowly see viewership shift to people’s language of choice.

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  • India chooses CNBC-TV18 on Budget Day yet again

    India chooses CNBC-TV18 on Budget Day yet again

    CNBC-TV18 demolishes all its competition yet again in the business genre with a market share of 79%, almost four times all the competition put together. (Source: BARC | TG: Males 22+ AB | Market: 1 mn+ | Period: 11:00 to 13:00 hours).  

    Not only was it the leader in the English Business News genre, CNBC-TV18 also emerged on top amongst the English General News channels this Budget, cementing its reputation as India’s Budget headquarters yet again. As per BARC India, during the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s speech, the channel garnered viewership which was higher than all the English Business and English General News channels put together (Source: BARC | TG: Males 22+ AB | Market: All India | Period: 1st Feb’18, 11:00 to 13:00 hours), During the Budget day CNBC-TV18 had higher viewership than all English General News channels put together (Source: BARC | TG: Males 22+ AB | Market: All India | Period: 1st Feb’18, 24 hours) and during the Budget week, greater than Republic TV and Times Now combined. (Source: BARC | TG: Males 22+ AB | Market: All India | Period: Week 05’18)

    CNBC-AWAAZ,  India’s No.1 Hindi Business News channel, has garnered a record-breaking viewership share of 90% during the Budget Speech this year amongst Hindi Business News channels (Source: BARC TG: 22+ AB Males Market: HSM Period: 1st Feb, 2018 (11:00-13:00), making it a consistent leader on every front. The channel showcases the most detailed coverage of the Union Budget with the biggest experts and analysts and has always been the channel of choice of the viewers due to its exhaustive programming line-up and a strong network of reporters and anchors.  

    Speaking on the success of CNBC-TV18 and CNBC-AWAAZ’s Budget coverage for yet another straight year, President Network18, Avinash Kaul said, “It is a matter of great pride that both our English & Hindi business news channels have cemented their undisputed leadership in their respective language categories. CNBC-TV18 continues to maintain its dominance and reaffirms the fact that the channel is India’s budget headquarters, yet again. CNBC-AWAAZ, on the other hand, provides news that matters the most to the masses, in the language of the masses. The figures stand testament to the outstanding performance recorded by both channels of being number one in their respective Business news categories, while CNBC-TV18 has topped the ratings in the General news category as well. The news channels stand out for their unmatched reporting quality and standards, compelling content and stellar marketing activities.”

  • Experience first-hand India’s historic Military Operation in a gripping new documentary

    Experience first-hand India’s historic Military Operation in a gripping new documentary

    MUMBAI: On 18 September 2016, four Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists attacked an Indian Army Garrison in the town of Uri, Jammu and Kashmir. 19 Indian soldiers were martyred in the Fidayeen attack. Eleven days later, the Indian Army carried out a series of deadly strikes across the Line of Control. This Counter Terrorist Operation is better known as the Surgical Strikes. HISTORY TV18’s ground-breaking documentary brings to life the planning and execution of the daring operation. The special programme tells the true story of the secret operation, with dramatic recreations and first-person accounts of key decision makers in the government, the military top brass and the Special Forces operatives who led the strikes. 

    Special Operations: India ‘Surgical Strikes’, premieres on Indian television, exclusively on HISTORY TV18 on 22 January, 2018 at 9 PM.

    The documentary follows two of the Indian Army’s elite Paratrooper Special Forces Strike Teams on their missions – to carry out precision strikes on Terrorist Launchpads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. The story is re-lived by those who were directly involved in the military operation. They reveal what actually happened behind the scenes and on the ground. 

    The programme features some of the most respected names in India’s National Security Establishment. Mr. Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor to the Government of India, Mr. Manohar Parrikar, Former Defence Minister and General Dalbir Singh, Former Chief of Army Staff among others, shedding light on how the drama unfolded. Defence analyst and author, Nitin Gokhale also shares his views on the subject.

    Speaking about the programme Network18, Managing Director, A+E Networks| TV18 & President, Avinash Kaul said, “With Surgical Strikes, HISTORY TV18 embarks on the next stage of its content evolution which involves pushing the envelope on pioneering, differentiated content that reflects contemporary history and has had an impact on the nation’s collective consciousness”

    India’s military action was surgical – swift, effective and precise. Its heroes – India’s warriors, who stand ready to answer the call of duty anywhere, anytime to serve and protect the motherland. The special programme salutes the courage and capabilities of the Indian Army, while staying true to the facts of what transpired. 

  • ETV Rajasthan dominates competition

    ETV Rajasthan dominates competition

    New Delhi: In the intensely competitive regional news genre in Rajasthan, ETV Rajasthan has established itself as a clear and dominant No. 1 channel. According to ETV Rajasthan’s interpretation of BARC data, with a market share of 78%*, the channel is clearly the preferred choice for the people of Rajasthan. The year 2017 saw ETV Rajasthan grow by leaps and bound – in fact the channel’s impressions jumped by 410%** in the time period Week 01, 2017 to Week 01, 2018. As per the latest BARC data, the channel’s market share is almost 5 times that of its nearest competition and is 3.6 times that of all other channels combined*.

    In the critical evening prime time band, ETV Rajasthan is 5.8 times ahead of the nearest compeition.***

    The brand had refreshed its screen look & programming line-up in 2017. The refreshed content and fresh packaging has clearly appealed to the viewers and this is clearly reflecting in the channels’ growing ratings.

    Commenting on the channel’s success Rajesh Raina, Group Editor – ETV Network said “ETV Rajasthan’s strength has always been both its unmatched coverage of news from across the state as well as the fact that it has raised issues that have a direct and significant impact on its viewers. It is this that has enabled the channel to build tremendous equity with the people in the state. ”

    Avinash Kaul, President- Network18 and MD- A+E Networks/TV18 commenting on the channel’s performance said “The people of Rajasthan have made their choice clear and we are thankful that they have overwhelmingly chosen ETV Rajasthan their channel of choice. We would like to reaffirm our commitment to pursuing the highest quality of journalism. We are confident that our focus on excellence will ensure that ETV Rajasthan will continue to remain the dominant player and a clear leader in the state.”

    *Source: BARC India, TG: 15+, Market: Rajasthan, Time Period: Week 01 ’18, 24 hours

    **Source: BARC India, TG: 15+, Market: Rajasthan, Time Period: Week 01 ’17 – Week 01 ’18, 24 hours

    ***Source: BARC | TG: 2+ | Market: Rajasthan | Period: Week 50’17-Week1’18 (1800 – 2300) hours

  • News18 Network’s Rising Rajasthan to be held in Jaipur

    MUMBAI: Rising Rajasthan is being organized by News18 Network today at the Clarks Amer in Jaipur.

    The event will have the CM Vasundhara Raje as well as top political leaders speak extensively on the state’s development priorities and various government programmes. The discussion is also likely to focus on the elections in the state that are scheduled for next year and how the current government is likely to approach the same. The event will have several panel discussions with senior ministers including Road and Transport & PWD minister, Yunus Khan; Panchayati Raj and rural development minister, Rajendra Singh Rathore; urban development and housing minister, Shrichand Kriplani; Medical and Health Minister, KalicharanSaraf; Sports and Youth Affairs Minister, Gajendra Singh Khimsar and President, State Finance Commission, Dr. Jyoti Kiran.

    Rising Rajasthan will also have representation from the opposition with the opening session featuring Dr. CP Joshi, General Secretary, All Indian Congress Committee who will speak on the future of the Congress party and the strategy that it is likely to adopt going forward.

    The event will not only facilitate discussions on key political and policy related issues but will also focus on individuals who have been the flagbearers of social change and/or those who have shown exemplary courage in challenging situations. Panelists including IPS, SarojKumari; Social Activist, Mridula Bhasin; Former Zila Pramukh, Pali, Khushveer Singh and Social Activist Hema Shah will speak of transformational initiatives that have had a huge impact on society at large.

    A session featuring inspiring stories of heroism will have Colonel Ram Singh (A 100-year old brave soldier and founder of 15 Kumaon Regiment); NaikDigendra Kumar (Winner of MahaVir Chakra; fought in Kargil War in 1999, captured Tololing from Pakistan and hoisted the Tricolor Flag of India); Major DeepikaRathore (The First Woman to climb Mount Everest twice) and CRPF Commandant Chetan Cheetah (who was shot 9 times during an encounter with terrorists in Kashmir) speak about their life and experiences.

    The event will end with a key note address by and a special interaction with chief minister Vasundhara Raje who will speak about her government’s approach to development, governance and areas of priority. The CM will also felicitate widows of soldiers who attained martyrdom during the Kargil War.

    ETV News Network group editor Rajesh Raina said that “The Rising Series is a platform from News18 Network which has gathered tremendous momentum over the past few months. This event facilitates engagement with top state leaders from across the political spectrum on critical issues pertaining to growth of the State. With the State elections scheduled to happen next year in Rajasthan – ‘Rising Rajasthan’ will provide an ideal platform to discuss and debate issues that will form the core of the political discourse in the State.”

    Adding to the above A + E Networks | TV18,Network 18 president strategy, product and alliances managing director Avinash Kaul said, “We are extremely excited about the Rising Rajasthan event. For us as a Network, Rajasthan is an extremely important market especially given the fact that ETV Rajasthan is the state’s No. 1 news channel. Our programming has always been about our viewers and their interests. Rising Rajasthan will not only raise issues of development but will, on the solemn occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, also remember those brave sons of the state who made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation during the Kargil War.”

    The event will be covered on ETV Rajasthan, News18 India and CNN-News18 starting 5pm