ITV

Tag: Culver Max

  • Kevin Vaz retained as IBDF president, Avinash Pandey to be secretary general

    Kevin Vaz retained as IBDF president, Avinash Pandey to be secretary general

    MUMBAI: The Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF) has sent out a clear signal at its 26th Annual General Meeting in New Delhi: television remains the beating heart of India’s entertainment story.

    A significant leadership transition was announced at the AGM. Media veteran Avinash Pandey will assume the role of secretary general from October 1, 2025, succeeding Siddharth Jain, whose tenure concluded on September 30. Members expressed gratitude to Jain for his contributions and warmly welcomed Pandey. Reflecting on his appointment, Pandey said, “I am honoured to take on this role at such a pivotal time. My focus will be on engaging with government, navigating the evolving regulatory landscape, and strengthening IBDF’s role as the industry’s unified voice.”  

    Chairing the AGM in his inaugural address as president, Jiostar India CEO – entertainment Kevin Vaz underscored the enduring power of linear TV. He pointed out that 97 per cent of India’s original content in 2024, nearly 200,000 hours, was created for television, which continues to engage audiences at scale with roughly 46 trillion minutes of annual viewing across 190 million screens. He described TV as the “bedrock of content creation and brand building in India,” highlighting its unmatched reach and cultural resonance through the family co-viewing experience. Vaz added that advertising revenues are set to climb, with the festive season offering an immediate boost and the government’s recent GST reforms providing a strong foundation for long-term growth. “Television’s next chapter is one of evolution, leveraging reach and trust, amplified by digital,” he said, affirming IBDF’s commitment to advocate for a forward-looking regulatory framework.

    The AGM also featured board elections, where Gaurav Banerjee of Culver Max and R. Mahesh Kumar of Sun Network were re-elected, while Anil Kumar Singhvi of Zee Media joined as a new board member. The Office Bearers were re-elected for the new term, with Vaz as president, Rajat Sharma of India TV, Banerjee, and Kumar as vice presidents, and I. Venkat of Eenadu TV continuing as treasurer. The Board also includes Aroon Purie of TV Today Network, Gaurav Dwivedi of Prasar Bharati, Jayant Mathew of MMTV, and Punit Goenka of Zee Entertainment, while Sumanta Bose of Jiostar, John Brittas of Kairali TV, and Nachiket Pantvaidya of Culver Max were co-opted as members.

    The AGM was also attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, including secretary Sanjay Jaju and additional secretary Prabhat, who joined industry leaders at a special luncheon hosted by IBDF, enabling constructive dialogue between broadcasters and policymakers.

  • Sony Pictures Networks India brings in BCG to slash costs

    Sony Pictures Networks India brings in BCG to slash costs

    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.