Tag: Bharat Gupta

  • Bharat Gupta steps down as CEO of Jagran New Media

    Bharat Gupta steps down as CEO of Jagran New Media

    MUMBAI:  After 25 years with Jagran Prakashan Ltd nd Jagran New Media, Bharat Gupta is stepping down as CEO, swapping boardroom battles for the unknown horrors of “new opportunities.”

    “It has been an extraordinary journey,” said Gupta. “Leaving isn’t easy, but I do so with gratitude and optimism.” 
    Under Gupta’s reign, the company became a digital juggernaut, with him steering the organisation through an era of rapid technological change and shifting media consumption habits. From tackling misinformation to driving audience engagement, his leadership has left an undeniable mark:

    * Strengthening Journalism: Launched VishvasNews.com, India’s pioneering fact-checking platform in 12 languages—because someone had to clean up the internet. In an age where facts are as slippery as politicians’ promises, the platform became a beacon of credibility.

    * Expanding Reach: Led a multi-language expansion to bring credible journalism to the masses, whether they wanted it or not. Thanks to his initiatives, Jagran New Media now caters to audiences across India, ensuring no one is left out of the loop.

    * Innovating Digital Media: Introduced HerZindagi.com, a bilingual, women-centric platform that dared to tell women what they already knew but in a way that algorithms would actually let them see it.

    * Forging Alliances: Partnered with Google, Meta, and other overlords of the digital world, ensuring that Jagran New Media remained in the good books of the tech titans who decide what the internet looks like on any given day.

    * Driving Growth: Earned global recognition and awards, which are great for press releases but still don’t pay the bills. Despite the industry’s turbulent nature, Jagran New Media remained a key player, balancing business sustainability with quality journalism.

    With Gupta leaving, the question arises—who now will take over? For now, COO Gaurav Arora will take the wheel.  Jagran New Media, meanwhile, reassures everyone that it will remain laser-focused on digital innovation, journalistic integrity, and convincing people to read beyond the headlines instead of just angrily reacting to them on social media.
    Gupta remains deeply invested in the future of digital media—just not from behind the CEO’s desk. “The industry is evolving rapidly. This is a time for reflection and new beginnings,” he said.

  • Musclemind debuts with the ‘Activeleisure’ category

    Musclemind debuts with the ‘Activeleisure’ category

    Mumbai: Musclemind introduces the new ‘Activeleisure’ category to the apparel market. By bridging the gap between performance activewear and lifestyle athleisure, Musclemind offers premium products that fit the needs of dynamic, on-the-go individuals.

    Bharat Gupta, a fourth-generation promoter of a leading renewable company and fitness enthusiast, created Musclemind to address the need for innovative apparel for busy lives. Identifying a gap in the Indian market, Bharat introduced the active leisure category with Musclemind. The brand’s philosophy integrates physical activity with daily life, offering products designed for performance, style, and comfort.

    Musclemind’s debut collection features advanced technology and craftsmanship, aiming to blend active pursuits with everyday comfort. The brand uses proprietary technologies such as MotionMax for enhanced stretchability and moisture-wicking, SeasonSense for adapting to thermal changes, ProProtect for UV resistance and odour control, and AeroFlux for ventilation and moisture control.

    Musclemind founder and CEO Bharat Gupta said, “We are on a mission to create the first active-leisure category of apparel in the world with our cutting-edge products. At Musclemind, we are not just creating clothes; we are creating a revolution with the active-leisure category that is a blend of functionality, style, and comfort. We have dedicated countless hours to rigorous research and development and crafted products that integrate cutting-edge technology into innovative products like Reformist Compression Tee and Power Leggings. With a vision to inspire movement and wellness worldwide, Musclemind is set to redefine the activewear landscape.”

    The Musclemind collection will be available on its official website and selected e-commerce platforms. The collection is competitively priced from Rs 2,600 and upwards.

    Follow Indiantelevision.com on WhatsApp channel for the latest updates: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaiosNqGE56fCGRIuX1Z

  • Jagran New Media joins forces with ONDC Network to launch Khojle.com

    Jagran New Media joins forces with ONDC Network to launch Khojle.com

    Mumbai: Jagran New Media, the digital wing of Jagran Prakashan Ltd, together with the ONDC Network, is thrilled to announce the launch of Khojle.com, a one-stop marketplace that will transform the e-commerce landscape. This strategic move marks the first time that ONDC has joined forces with a leading Indian publisher to provide a unified user experience.

    Khojle.com aims to create an all-in-one marketplace focused on India’s Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. It aims to enhance online shopping by integrating e-commerce opportunities into the browsing experience across Jagran New Media’s websites. With one click, users can easily access Khojle.com’s retail marketplace while reading and browsing content, exploring a wide range of consumer goods like fashion, home & kitchen, groceries, electronics, personal care and more with tailored recommendations based on preferences. Beyond convenience, Khojle.com supports the MSME sector and startup ecosystem by enabling growth with strong support from the ministry. This strategic initiative is designed to broaden market access for businesses of all sizes, setting a new benchmark in India’s e-commerce evolution.

    Jagran New Media CEO Bharat Gupta highlighted the significance of the partnership, “I am thrilled to announce the landmark partnership with ONDC network for the launch of Khojle.com, a pioneering initiative that seamlessly blends content with commerce to provide a comprehensive solution. This collaboration will revolutionize e-commerce in India, especially empowering Tier two towns and rural areas where internet usage now surpasses urban areas, thanks to ONDC DPI’s deep integration. It aims to democratize e-commerce access for ‘Naya Bharat,’ significantly boosting local MSMEs by offering unique content-to-commerce opportunities wherein we will help them with content marketing and product amplification. This move aligns perfectly with our nation’s growth towards a $5.2 trillion economy, promoting initiatives like #VocalforLocal and #OneDistrictOneProduct, paving the way for an inclusive growth environment for retailers and businesses alike. Khojle.com is designed as a holistic platform with an audience & services model that caters to our extensive user base, from accessing the latest news and information to personalized shopping experiences. This venture is a true reflection of our commitment to fostering innovation and providing user-centric solutions. My sincere appreciation goes to the Ernst & Young team, whose passion and expertise have been instrumental in bringing this visionary project to life.”

    ONDC MD & CEO T Koshy expressed his enthusiasm and said, “Working with Jagran New Media strategically aligns perfectly with our mission to expand e-commerce penetration in India, enabling population-scale inclusion of sellers of all types and sizes. The launch of Khojle.com not only opens avenues for startups but also ensures consumer access to wide choices. This initiative aligns with ONDC’s democratizing e-commerce and a collaborative environment that is propelling industry growth.”

    Khojle.com is innovatively designed to enhance Jagran New Media’s user experience by seamlessly integrating reading and shopping into a single platform, offering a unique combination of news, politics, sports content, and a diverse shopping experience. This one-stop solution is not just limited to a website but also extends to a user-friendly app, allowing users to stay informed and shop from any corner of the country with ease. This initiative represents an additional revenue stream for Jagran New Media and aligns with ONDC’s mission to broaden e-retail penetration in India. Khojle.com is more than just an e-commerce marketplace; it’s a transformative approach to content and commerce, enabling scalable and cost-effective e-commerce solutions that support scalable growth for startups.

    Visit the website to shop – https://www.khojle.com/

  • Bharat Gupta elected as regional president of the South Asian division of INMA

    Bharat Gupta elected as regional president of the South Asian division of INMA

    Mumbai: In a recent development, Bharat Gupta was elected as regional president of the South Asian division of the International News Media Association ( INMA).

    Jagran New Media is the digital division of Jagran Prakashan which also operates business on other platforms like print, radio. INMA conducted a recent election to elect representatives. New officers and regional directors are also appointed to the board.

    Commenting on the appointment, Bharat Gupta said, ‘ My primary focus will be driving scale, impact, sustainability for digital news media companies, and central to my vision is the creation of a collaborative platform where we can all ideate, collaborate, and innovate. There will be special emphasis on culture building within our organisations, particularly through fostering diversity, inclusion, and equity to ensure a transformative impact across the media landscape.’

     

  • Bharat Gupta assumes the presidency at INMA’s South Asian Division from Jagran New Media

    Bharat Gupta assumes the presidency at INMA’s South Asian Division from Jagran New Media

    Mumbai: Jagran New Media’s CEO, Bharat Gupta, has been elected as the regional president of the South Asian Division of the International News Media Association (INMA), succeeding the earlier president, Praveen Someshwar, MD & CEO at HT Media Ltd. Jagran New Media is the digital arm of Jagran Prakashan Ltd, which operates businesses in Print, Radio, Outdoor & Digital. This leadership transition was part of the recent election conducted by INMA during its annual business meeting, where new officers and regional directors were appointed for the International board. The team also extends its gratitude to Earl J. Wilkinson, Executive Director and CEO of the International News Media Association (INMA), for his exemplary leadership.

    Other regional presidents on the INMA International Board include Petteri Putkiranta, President, News & Featyre, Sanoma Media Finaland, Helsinki, Finland; Troy Niday, Chief Operations Officer Sonoma Media Investments – The Press Democrat, Santa Rosa, California; and Pablo Deluca, Director de Asuntos Institucionales Infobae Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina (Latin American Division President).

    Ecstatic about the appointment, Jagran New Media CEO Bharat Gupta said, “I am deeply honoured to take on the role of South Asia Division President at the International News Media Association (INMA) and contribute to a global dialogue on the future of news media. My primary focus will be driving scale, impact, and sustainability for digital news media companies, and central to my vision is the creation of a collaborative platform where we can all ideate, collaborate, and innovate. This approach is especially crucial in the context of the ongoing disruption caused by AI and ML technology stacks. There will be a special emphasis on culture building within our organisations, particularly through fostering Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity, to ensure a transformative impact across the media landscape. By integrating these elements, I aim to contribute meaningfully to INMA’s mission and support the evolution of the Indian media sector within the global framework.”

    With a wealth of experience and expertise in the media sector, Mr. Bharat Gupta will be responsible for laying down the futuristic vision of the South Asia Division, overseeing all activities and championing INMA’s core values of sustainable journalism, success, innovation, and continuous learning. Before his elevation to president, he served as an integral part of INMA South Asian Division as its Vice President, which showcased his firm dedication to INMA’s

    mission, focusing on fostering growth, revenue, and brand development within the dynamic media universe.

    With a global Board of Directors overseeing the association’s activities, INMA continues to be at the forefront of providing professional training and development opportunities for its 20,000+ members across 94 countries. It leads the news industry with initiatives to understand better digital subscriptions, intelligent data, products, advertising, and the emerging relationship with Big Tech platforms.

    Along with serving as the president of the INMA South Asia Division (International News & Media Association), he is also a governing council member and co-chair at the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI); a founding member of the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA); Executive president of the Misinformation Combat Alliance; a board member of the International Fact Check Network (IFCN); an Advisory Board Member of FT Strategies, London; and a member of the Google Global News Advisory Group and YouTube Global News Advisory Group; and the founding member & president of the Misinformation Combat Alliance (MCA), a cross-industry collaborative effort to combat and limit the spread of misinformation. 

  • Vishvas.news launches ‘Sach Ke Sathi Seniors’ against online misinformation

    Vishvas.news launches ‘Sach Ke Sathi Seniors’ against online misinformation

    Mumbai: Jagran New Media’s internationally awarded and trusted fact-checking wing, Vishvasnews.com, launches “Sach Ke Sathi: Seniors”, a media literacy campaign to help senior citizens learn how to detect online misinformation, protect themselves from deepfakes and access trustworthy news and information.

    SKS Seniors – the seventh edition of Jagran New Media’s flagship media literacy effort Sach Ke Sathi – has been launched by Vishvasnews.com in collaboration with MICA as its Academic Partner, and is supported by the Google News Initiative. Two other fact-checkers – Fact Crescendo, and News Meter have also joined hands with SKS Seniors as its language partners to take the initiative forward in local languages. The campaign focuses on imparting media literacy training to senior citizens, who are more vulnerable to false information and aims to impart skills to better navigate the digital information landscape.

    SKS Seniors will go live in 50 cities, covering 15 states in seven languages and will host 70 training sessions – 40 on-ground and 30 online. In addition to this, SKS will also launch a first-of-its-kind micro-learning video course on media literacy and promote media literacy through its print editions.

    Commenting on the launch, Jagran New Media CEO Bharat Gupta said, “The collaboration between Vishvasnews.com, Google News Initiative (GNI), the fact-checking community, and MICA fulfils our objective to address the critical issue of media literacy specifically within the senior demographic, with a focus on digital safety and fact-checking. Built upon shared synergy, the 7th edition of Sach ke Sathi will enable us to collectively prioritize the advancement of media literacy among seniors and create a robust foundation for a digitally literate society. It has been our endeavour at Jagran New Media to follow the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that underline our dedication to this important cause.”

    Jagran New Media editor-in-chief Rajesh Upadhyay added, “We are thrilled to continue another chapter of Sach Ke Sathi and elevate the initiative’s standards by tailoring the approach to address many unique challenges faced by senior citizens in the age of misinformation, like limited digital literacy and fact-checking skills. The main focus is on providing senior citizens with essential tools and knowledge for awareness of digital safety and misinformation/disinformation through various training done by the fact-checking community and our academic partner, MICA. A well-devised communication and outreach plan has been implemented to ensure that the programme effectively reaches its intended audience, with a range of measurement approaches to assess the programme’s impact at various stages.”

    Google News Lab lead in India Surabhi Malik said, “Sach ke Sathi Seniors is a much-needed collaborative media literacy effort that will empower senior citizens with critical thinking skills, help them detect misinformation and also prepare them to tackle deep fakes. Mis and disinformation is a serious problem that clogs the information pipeline and prevents the flow of trustworthy & authoritative information, which is all the more crucial during elections. We are proud to support this collaborative initiative that will help participants better assess the credibility of information available online.”

    MICA associate professor, Head of Media and Entertainment Management Area and Centre for Media and Entertainment Studies (CMES) Santosh K Patra added, “As the academic partner of Sach Ke Saathi Seniors, we see it as an opportunity to address the issue of digital information literacy with Vishvas News. We have designed a curriculum by adopting an interactive and learner-centric pedagogy that not only imparts knowledge but also fosters critical thinking skills to tackle the challenges of fake news, misinformation, disinformation and misinformation which is prevalent like a menace in our society today.”

    Sach Ke Sathi was launched in 2019 by Vishvasnews.com and Jagran New Media with a mission to combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation. SKS won Wan-Ifra’s Best Trust Initiative Silver Award in 2023 and IAMAI’s 2022 Bronze for best content campaign.

    The previous six editions dealt with crucial subjects such as Health Fact Check, Bihar Elections, Yes for Vaccine, Assembly Elections 2022, FactsUp, and more. Over the years, Sach ke Sathi has achieved significant success in raising awareness about the societal effects of misinformation and fake news, as well as providing the tools and training needed to identify misinformation at a larger level.

     

  • India Today, Jagran New Media & Meta to lead IAMAI’s Digital Advertising Council

    India Today, Jagran New Media & Meta to lead IAMAI’s Digital Advertising Council

    Mumbai: India Today Group CMO Vivek Malhotra has been elected the new chairperson of the Digital Advertising Council (DAC), which functions under the aegis of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). Jagran New Media CEO Bharat Gupta and Meta director and head – ad business Arun Srinivas have been appointed co-chairs of the DAC.

    The Digital Advertising Council (DAC) under IAMAI is a strong voice in the advertising ecosystem. With over 110 active members including agencies, publishers, affiliates, adtech and martech companies, DAC engages with more than 500 brands, 250 agencies and 100 publishers through various conferences, roundtables, and offsites.

    DAC is working with digital advertising stakeholders towards the goal of the growth of the digital advertising sector and is committed to delivering value. In the last 18 years of its existence, it has helped the industry grow from a one per cent of the total advertising spends in the country to approximately between 30-34 per cent today. Of the many things it engages in, one of the most prominent processes it has set up, is the Billing and Payment Recovery process (BNPP), which helps IAMAI publishers and agencies alike to be paid on time.

    The new leadership team will play a pivotal role in guiding DAC and its digital advertising stakeholders to work towards the goal of the growth of the digital advertising sector. Along with this they will also be overseeing and supporting the three Task Force Groups viz. Unified Standard Measurement, Cookieless Future and Affiliate Best Practices. Additionally, they will continue to interact regularly with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, ensuring that the interests and concerns of the digital advertising community are effectively represented in regulatory discussions and decision-making processes.

  • Bharat Gupta of Jagran news media receives the DMA Trailblazer Award 2023

    Bharat Gupta of Jagran news media receives the DMA Trailblazer Award 2023

    Mumbai: Jagran New Media CEO Bharat Gupta was honoured with the DMA Trailblazer Award 2023 in Mumbai on 11 October. He received this award in the “Women” category under “Individual Excellence” for his impactful vision and leadership in shaping HerZindagi’s incredible journey to make it the women’s website in just five years and touching the hearts of over 20 million people monthly.

    On this recognition, Jagran New Media CEO  Bharat Gupta said “I am truly honoured to receive this award and grateful for my team’s continued efforts towards using content and technology to build equitable and progressive societies, by fostering an environment of purpose, experience, and community. Five years ago, with the objective of launching a women-only website, we launched HerZindagi.com, to carve a niche for our women audiences.

    Our sustained commitment to keeping purpose over profit resulted in the rapid growth of the website’s user base by an astounding 32 per cent over the past two years. The overall strategy is solely driven by impacting & engaging the audiences by fostering a community for women that educates, empowers, inspires and gives them a platform to be heard, seen, & recognized.”

    The DMA Trailblazer Awards 2023 by DMA Asia celebrates visionaries and ideas that go beyond what societies deem possible, and at the same time push the boundaries of people to think big and work towards a better future. This year’s theme was “Purpose over Profit” which recognized corporations & individuals championing the greater good, awarding the beacons inspiring a new world.

    Bharat’s recognition goes beyond industry acknowledgement as it represents a tangible difference in society that HerZindagi makes daily. 

  • Jagran New Media launches Rocketship Films for enhanced audiovisual storytelling

    Jagran New Media launches Rocketship Films for enhanced audiovisual storytelling

    Mumbai: Jagran New Media, the digital wing of Jagran Prakashan Ltd, is proud to announce the launch of its in-house audio-visual production venture, Rocketship Films. This launch marks a significant milestone for the company’s growth towards creating new avenues for new-age innovative storytelling in an audio-visual format and content production, solidifying Jagran New Media’s stature in the publishing industry.

    The new production house marks the intersection of creativity with commerce and will focus on content that inspires, educates & provokes thought. The in-house production venture is a solution to the ever-changing content consumption of the new-age digital-savvy audiences. This venture specialises in crafting compelling audio-visual narratives, video production/post-production, voiceover narrations, animations, creative solutions, new-age animations, and much more.

    On the launch, Bharat Gupta, CEO of Jagran New Media, said, “India’s internet audience is undergoing a transformative change with a meteoric rise in video consumption. The launch of Rocketship Films aligns perfectly with our expansion plans, elevates business growth, and engages wider audiences simultaneously. Some of our earlier work makes us confident that our brilliant team will bridge market gaps with compelling audio-visual narratives, solidifying our path to scalable and sustainable creative success.”

    Commenting on the launch, Jagran New Media COO Gaurav Arora said, “Owing to the in-depth understanding of the publishing industry & having worked with a diverse set of brands over the years, we’re confident that the launch of Rocketship Films will seamlessly bridge the gap between the ever-evolving audience sensibilities & the clients’ need to reach their audiences with emerging content formats. As part of our four revenue pillars, including inventory, syndication, production house, and subscription, the new venture reinforces the third pillar and builds upon our vision. With this expansion, these revenue pillars will collectively contribute to the sustained growth and reach diverse audiences with well-timed content across the various digital properties of Jagran New Media, continuing our legacy to produce factual, credible &

    engaging content. Rocketship Films has already produced some thumb-stopping content, so take a minute to check out the website!”

    He added, “Our team of experienced creative professionals is equipped to craft narratives that resonate with our audience and inspire action. We are quite exhilarated to set new benchmarks in creating result-driven storytelling for brands through various collaborations. We are confident that Rocketship Films will foster a profound and enduring connection with our clients.”

    The production house will assist brands with its plethora of services to create relevant and meaningful content that drives brand loyalty, customer engagement, and retention. Handled by the best and most experienced minds from the advertising & creative industries, Rocketship Films aligns with Jagran New Media’s mission of delivering relevant, engaging, and insightful content to its vast digital audience. Rocketship Films is already gaining value through association with several renowned brands like Dabur, ITC, Hyundai, LinkedIn, Pulsar, etc., and is assured to rewrite the branded storytelling playbook with capabilities across video production, ideation & scripting, creative consultation, visual effects animation, and more.

     

  • Jagran New Media’s HerZindagi expands into the Tamil market

    Jagran New Media’s HerZindagi expands into the Tamil market

    Mumbai: Jagran New Media’s lifestyle website HerZindagi.com announced its entry into the Indic language landscape with the launch of its Tamil site, following its success in Hindi and English. HerZindagi.com in Tamil brings to its readers an array of content tailored for women, across the topics of fashion, beauty, shopping, recipes, travel, kitchen hacks, finance, and more. With this launch, Jagran New Media expands its reach to a new section of readers across the globe. It is one of many steps in its incredible growth trajectory and expansion plan to bring the magic of HerZindagi to everyone.

    Jagran New Media CEO Bharat Gupta said, “Indian digital users are growing exponentially, especially from tier two and three cities. It is no surprise that 75 per cent of that growth is coming from Indic language users, compared to a mere three per cent of English language users in India. With a brand like HerZindagi, which has already won the trust of its readers in the Hindi heartland, it is the logical next step for us to take this exciting platform to the readers in the south of India.”

    Associate VP and business head of health & lifestyle verticals Megha Mamgain said, “Our teams are carefully studying the interests of Tamil readers and creating content that captures regional nuances, is relatable, accurate, and adds value to the lives of our readers. We hope to serve this carefully created content to Tamil readers in India and across the world. Using what we’ve learned from the success of HerZindagi.com in Hindi, we hope to put the interests of Tamil women readers front and center.”

    HerZindagi, the company added, has a user base of over 19 million. HerZindagi was launched in 2018 with the aim of creating a platform to serve the interests of women. HerZindagi has consistently served original, credible, and relatable content. In a digital environment where male users and GenZ took precedence, HerZindagi brought the focus to the needs and wants of the mature women of today.

    Strengthened by the trust of its millions of users, HerZindagi is now expanding its reach with this Tamil launch. With this launch, HerZindagi.com is expanding its reach in the South Indian market with the larger intent to launch in Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam in the upcoming months.

    With the same commitment to serving original, expert-backed content that is utility-based, HerZindagi Tamil offers to bring value and enrich the lives of its readers. The content has been crafted keeping in mind the interests and sensibilities of the Tamil audience. Along with text articles, the site also offers Google Web Story format, which will allow users to experience the rich media, tappable stories that are created for a mobile first experience.