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Tag: MK Anand

  • Times Network to telecast seventh ‘Digital India Summit’ from 15 January

    Times Network to telecast seventh ‘Digital India Summit’ from 15 January

    Mumbai: Times Network has announced the seventh edition of Digital India Summit (DIS) scheduled to telecast from 15 January every Saturday at 11:30 a.m on Times Now, Times Now World, 8:30 p.m ET Now and on the network’s digital news destination Timesnownews.com.

    The event is supported by the Union Bank of India and Kiya ai as ‘co-powered by’ sponsor and WeWork as ‘associate’ partner.

    DIS throws the spotlight on fast-tracking India’s digitisation by bringing together the torchbearers of the digital universe to discuss ideas and strategies which will facilitate India’s digital transformation and strengthen its global dominance in technology.

    The summit will address a wide spectrum of topics including enabling India’s financial inclusion digitally, benefitting from new normal, role of data security and data centre in the next decade, transforming India’s healthcare through digitisation and more.

    The summit will launch with an exclusive interview with MoS, electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar and will also witness participation from thought leaders, influencers and digital revolutionaries including Union Bank of India MD and CEO Rajkiran Rai G.

    “Digital India Summit was instituted to foster and cheer a digitally empowered India,” said Times Network MD and CEO MK Anand. “It is heartening to see that over the course of the last six years, the platform has ably contributed in advancing India’s digital journey. Steering this vision, the 7th edition of Digital India Summit is engaged with a purpose to accelerate India’s global dominance in technology and digitization.  I am confident that this leadership platform will enable actionable ideas and strategies with the domain’s thought leaders and innovators to achieve the same.”

    “It is an honour and privilege to be part of Digital India Summit. Our main goal is a $1 trillion digital economy that has a number of parts that are at the early stage of work in progress,” said MoS, skill development and entrepreneurship and electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar. “The Prime Minister has called it the Techade and it is absolutely a correct characterisation because in the next 10 years, our economy can be significantly catalysed by the digital economy. Today when we see startups and young entrepreneurs, you can see that they are confident about what they are doing and they are very confident about the future that they are going to be a part of and to me, that is the biggest thing that has come out of the pandemic. This is what is very different for 2022 than what it was in the past that we hold in our hands the cards that are stacked in our favour. it is now for us to execute and deliver what the universe is offering us as an opportunity.”

  • Absence of TRPs has not impacted legacy media brands much: M K Anand

    Absence of TRPs has not impacted legacy media brands much: M K Anand

    Mumbai: Times Network did not follow the playbook when they launched the Hindi news channel Times Now Navbharat HD in August. The Hindi news genre is saturated with many channels but Times Network entered the HD space where the only incumbent was Aaj Tak HD, said Times Network MD and CEO M K Anand.

    “When we launched our channel in the HD news space, the only other channel was Aaj Tak HD which is a great comparison set to have,” said MK Anand at an event on Tuesday. “The opportunity to come top-down in the Hindi news category helped us to focus on the brand first and then go to the mass audience.”

    The broadcaster is planning to launch Times Now Navbharat SD channel on 1 January 2022 four months after the launch of the HD channel. The launch coincides with the upcoming UP Assembly elections 2022. About two months of additional revenue is generated by news broadcasters during an election year.

    “The cost of marketing and distribution is much cheaper during the elections and will help our SD channel achieve mass reach in a short period,” said Anand.

    Elaborating on the performance of the newly launched Times Now Navbharat HD, he said, “The channel has garnered 100+ million video views per month on its digital content. Our ad volumes are already at 55-60 per cent of Aaj Tak HD while maintaining the same ad rates. Maintaining the same ad rates has been very limiting for the ad sales team but they have still been able to reach such high ad volumes which is remarkable.”

    The network also launched Hindi business news channel ET Now Swadesh in August. While there have been no business news channel launches in several years in the language space, Anand stated that there was a huge gap for such content in the Hindi-speaking market.

    “After demonetisation and interest rates coming down, people began participating in mutual funds and financial markets. This has become a necessity if they want to beat inflation. Foreign institutional investors, sophisticated retail investors, and corporates are taking advantage of the great growth that the Indian stock market is seeing currently. But ordinary Indians are not. That’s why we launched ET Now Swadesh with the proposition ‘India is rising, come rise with us,” he said.

    Times Network MD and CEO also talked about how 60-70 per cent of the year’s revenue is coming from pre-booking anchor sponsors. “If we pushed our sales team for higher revenues then there is no chance of maintaining our ad rates and that would destroy the brand and the category competitors. Our rates are in proportion to where we stand compared to our competitors” he added.

    Anand observed that the absence of TRPs for the news genre has not affected legacy media brands as much as news channels without strong brand recognition. “This genre is bought on the basis of effective rate (ER) and not cost-per-rating-point (CPRP). The absence of ratings hurts broadcasters as they are not able to design their product, FPC, etc in the absence of data as to what is working and how they are performing vis-à-vis others in the genre.”

    The Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc) India had suspended the Television Ratings Points (TRPs) for the news genre in October last year.

    The network is planning to distribute Times Now Navbharat on the free DTH platform DD Free Dish as and when MPEG slots become available. “We will bid for the MPEG slots if they become available,” noted Anand.  

    “At the Times group, we are obsessed with brand development. As you can see from the array of iconic brands that we have created over the years such as TOI, ET, TN, Femina, Filmfare, etc,” said Anand. “In our checklist of people, content, distribution, marketing and sales, we have been ultra-focussed on the brand right from day one.”

  • Times Now Navbharat SD channel to be launched on 1 Jan 2022

    Times Now Navbharat SD channel to be launched on 1 Jan 2022

    Mumbai: Times Network has announced that Times Now Navbharat SD channel is slated to launch on 1 January 2022. The announcement was made during the second edition of Times Now Summit on Wednesday which was graced by union home minister Amit Shah.

    Hindi news channel Times Now Navbharat HD went live in August followed by Hindi business news channel ET Now Swadesh in October. Amit Shah formally launched Times Now Navbharat at the event and wished Times Group success in their future endeavours.

    The Times Now Summit 2021 was organised around the theme of celebrating India at 75, shaping India at 100. “For well over a decade and a half Times Network has pioneered developing informed opinion amongst India’s influencers,” said Times Network managing director and chief executive officer MK Anand, in his welcome address. “The last two years have been a forced pause that have helped us rethink, review our options and reset our gameplan. Completing 75 years seemed like the right time to contemplate what we can be at 100. Considering the tantalising options and possibilities the next 25 years look like it can make all the difference.”

    He added, “After retaining No 1 position in English news with Times Now, we launched our first Hindi news channel Times Now Navbharat HD in August followed by Hindi business news channel ET Now Swadesh in October. Both the channels are doing well. Now in January, Times Now Navbharat will be launched in SD version which will make it available to the masses across India.”

  • Nikunj Garg appointed as editor of Mirror Now

    Nikunj Garg appointed as editor of Mirror Now

    Mumbai: Times Network on Thursday announced the appointment of Nikunj Garg as editor of Mirror Now. He will report to Times Network managing director and chief executive officer MK Anand.  

    Garg will lead the editorial mandate for Mirror Now and closely work with the channel’s business and leadership teams to drive the channel’s growth agenda, besides continuing his role as overall head of input and news-gathering at Times Network, said the statement.

    With a broadcast journalism career spanning two decades, “Nikunj brings sharp insights, political intelligence, judgement, and accuracy in his reportage,” it added.

    “Nikunj has been one of our key assets and has significantly contributed to Times Now’s leadership through his action-oriented news reportage,” said MK Anand. “I am confident that Nikunj’s in-depth knowledge, expertise, and experience will help the channel’s growth plans in serving its mission, ‘You First’.”

    Garg has been associated with Times Network for over a decade, covering national political and international high-profile stories for Times Now. He is known for investigating and breaking powerful stories including Bofors’s alleged middleman, Ottavio Quatorocchi’s arrest in Argentina, arrest of an Indian diplomat in Pakistan for spying charges in 2010, revealing the identity of lone surviving terrorist of Mumbai 26/11 as Ajmal Kasab and confirming his arrest, IPL match-fixing scandal in 2013, breaking important government decisions on Covid-19 pandemic and government’s action on former CBI director Alok Verma amongst others.

    “I am honored and thrilled to take over this new responsibility,” said Garg. “With a strategic segmented approach, Mirror Now has successfully created a whole new genre of content, centered around the viewer’s preference for impact. I look forward to harnessing my best efforts to fuel the brand’s purpose of focusing on issues that impact the lives of Indians.”

  • ET Now Swadesh will foment new investment revolution in the country: MK Anand

    ET Now Swadesh will foment new investment revolution in the country: MK Anand

    Mumbai: Times Network has launched its Hindi business news channel ET Swadesh on Monday. 

    The channel has unveiled its brand manifesto ‘Badlo Badho Desh Ke Saath’ and a special brand film that captures the brand genesis was released across the network channels and its social media handles.

    The launch event was graced by India’s eminent policymakers and India Inc leaders including union minister for housing and urban affairs and minister of petroleum and natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri; union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari; union cabinet minister for women and child development Smriti Irani; ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, and Kedia Securities managing director Vijay Kedia among others.  

    To mark the occasion of the launch, Times Network managing director and chief executive officer MK Anand shared a message with viewers on the brand’s social platforms.

    “The sweeping pace of change due to the Covid-19 pandemic in the past one-and-half years, has made it clear that those who do not adapt are bound to fail,” he said. “Despite all the challenges, India’s economy has shown tremendous growth. The stock market is at a new peak and a record number of demat accounts have been opened. India’s performance in the Olympics and Paralympics shows that the winds of change have been strong in the country.”

    “More aware than ever people are aware that traditional methods of investing such as savings accounts and gold won’t be able to fulfil their goals with respect to capital creation and fulfilling their dreams. It is in the spirit of this change, we have launched our new Hindi offering, ET Now Swadesh, to contribute to the financial well-being of every citizen of the country,” Anand further said.

    “We have unwavering faith in the growth story of India and hope to take our ‘Rise with India’ mission to crores of Hindi audience through ET Now Swadesh. With our expertise and the faith of our viewers combined, ET Now Swadesh with its motto ‘Badlo Badho Desh Ke Saath’ will become instrumental in fomenting a new investment revolution in the country,” he concluded.

  • Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to launch ET Now Swadesh

    Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to launch ET Now Swadesh

    Mumbai: Times Network’s Hindi business news channel ET Now Swadesh will be inaugurated by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 4 October.

    The channel has unveiled its editorial team and programming line-up ahead of the launch.

    The editorial team of ET Now Swadesh will comprise a team of seasoned financial and business journalists including Mihir Bhatt, Pradeep Pandya, Kavita Thapliyal, and Priyanka Anand, led by Nikunj Dalmia as managing editor. ET Now Swadesh will offer content that empowers, engages, and educates viewers with financial knowledge to weave their growth into India’s success story. The channel leads with a powerful proposition ‘Badho Desh Ke Saath’ and promises to be a catalyst of growth, energising every discerning Indian to rise with India, said the statement.

    The channel will launch a slew of interactive and engaging content that will aid viewers with money-making ideas every five minutes, detailed analysis and perspectives on stocks and commodities, investment opportunities, and personalised portfolio recommendations with insights and guidance from industry stalwarts like Nilesh Shah and Madhu Kela.

    The channels morning time band between 8 a.m and 4 p.m brings nine distinct shows including “Khara Sauda,” “10 Ka Bazaar,” “Your Stocks,” “Commodity Now,” “F&O Junction,” “Midcap Masti,” “Corporate Connections,” “Stocks Fatafat,” and “Closing Sauda,” which will dedicatedly cover business and markets.

    The morning primetime market show “Khara Sauda” beginning at 8 a.m will be hosted by Nikunj Dalmia, Mihir Bhatt, Pradeep Pandya, and Priyanka Anand. The show will offer viewers an in-depth analysis of the current market trends, the latest buzz in dealing rooms, insights on what brokerages are betting on, but also educate them on financial savings and creating long-term wealth and investments. The show will also have AI-dominated actionable ideas for the viewers and will feature the top voices from Dalal Street and India Inc.

    In the evening starting at 8 p.m, the channel will air the show “Swadesh Hour” hosted by Nikunj Dalmia and Kavita Thapliyal. The one-hour special will capture all the key information and news of the day.

    “While the pandemic presented unprecedented challenges worldwide, it has undoubtedly been an agent of radical change, to rethink and reimagine businesses and lives,” said Times Network managing director and chief executive officer MK Anand. “New streams including digital services and payments, financial and investment tools have emerged as the definitive factors that will pave the path to progress.”

    “ET Now Swadesh will pioneer a new revolution of financial empowerment and progress for crores of Hindi speaking viewers,” he added.

    The network will roll out a high decibel marketing campaign in key Hindi speaking markets and will run a month-long promotion across TV, outdoor, print, trade, social media, and leading digital platforms. The network’s outdoor promotion spans over 120 key locations in Delhi and Mumbai. The network is set to splash its print ads across leading Hindi, English, and financial dailies along with a series of trade promotions and engagement. A special brand film capturing the genesis of the channel will be released on the launch day across network channels and social media platforms.

  • Rajat Sharma elected as president of NBDA

    Rajat Sharma elected as president of NBDA

    Mumbai: The News Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA) has elected Rajat Sharma as president at a meeting held on Monday. The board also elected ABP Network chief executive officer Avinash Pandey as vice president and Times Network managing director and chief executive officer MK Anand as honorary treasurer for the year 2021-22.

    The other members on the NBDA board include News24 Broadcast India chairperson-cum-managing director Anuradha Prasad Shukla; Mathrubhumi Printing and Publishing managing director MV Shreyams Kumar; TV18 broadcast managing director Rahul Joshi; Eenadu Television director I Venkat; TV Today Network vice-chairperson and managing director Kalli Purie; New Delhi Television editorial director Sonia Singh, and Zee Media chief executive officer – cluster 1 Sudhir Chaudhary.

    Formerly known as the News Broadcasters Association, the industry body had renamed itself after it decided to bring digital media news broadcasters within the membership of the association. The members at the EGM unanimously passed the modification in the name of the association and amendments to the memorandum and articles of association.

    “I am glad to inform the members that the ministry of corporate affairs, government of India have approved the new name and the amendments to the memorandum and articles of association,” said Rajat Sharma in a statement.

    The ministry of electronics and information technology notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT rules), thereby bringing digital media, including OTT platforms, digital news broadcasters, and news aggregators, for the first time, within the ambit of government supervision.

    The IT rules which have been framed to regulate digital media, not only lay down a code of ethics to be complied by digital news broadcasters but also establishes a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism to ensure observance of the same.

    Similarly, the ministry of information and broadcasting also notified the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021(Cable Amendment Rules) to establish a three-tier complaint redressal structure to ensure observance of the Programme Code and Advertisement Code under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994.

    “NBDA has challenged the constitutionality of both the IT rules and cable amendment rules in the Kerala high court on various grounds including on the grounds that the rules give the government authorities excessive powers to unreasonably and impermissibly restrict the freedom of speech and expression of the media under Article 19 (1)(a) of the Constitution. Interim orders were granted in favour of NBDA in both matters,” observed Sharma. 

    Despite several months having passed, the Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc) ratings have not been restored as yet. “The NBDA board and Barc have had several rounds of discussions to ensure that reliable, credible, tamper-free data is made available to the news broadcasters,” said Sharma. 

  • Nikunj Dalmia named managing editor of ET Now Swadesh

    Nikunj Dalmia named managing editor of ET Now Swadesh

    Mumbai: Times Network has named Nikunj Dalmia as managing editor of its yet-to-be-launched Hindi business news channel, ET Now Swadesh.

    In his new role, Dalmia will lead all editorial decisions and oversee the management of the channel besides continuing his role as the managing editor of the network’s English business news channel ET Now, said the broadcast network on Friday.

    “Nikunj is a network stalwart and has played a pivotal role in nourishing and growing ET Now since its inception,” said Times Network managing director and chief executive officer MK Anand. “He has been instrumental in shaping and sustaining ET Now’s market leadership. We are thrilled at the launch of our second Hindi news offering, ET Now Swadesh, and I am confident he will lead this new mandate to its glory and success, and further raise the bar for the Hindi business news category.”

    With over two decades of experience in tracking corporate India, government policies, domestic and global economies, Dalmia is one of India’s most renowned business news anchors.

    “I am really excited to take on this new mantle and look forward to working with a talented and determined team of journalists and crew,” said Dalmia. “With a unique content offering that is focussed on empowering viewers with the knowledge that will enable them to be part of India’s growth story, ET Now Swadesh will sharply differentiate itself from other players in the Hindi business news category.”

  • Media icon & film producer Pradeep Guha no more

    Media icon & film producer Pradeep Guha no more

    Mumbai: Media and entertainment industry veteran Pradeep Guha has passed away on Saturday. He was in his late 60s.

    Guha was battling advanced liver cancer and was admitted at Kokilaben Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. He is survived by his wife Papia and son Sanket.

    Guha was the managing director at 9X Media. Previously, he was chief executive officer at ZEE Telefilms. He was also associated with Times of India for nearly three decades. He produced the Bollywood film ‘Fiza’.

    Many veterans of the M&E industry paid tribute to Guha on social media.

    “Brevity, clarity, speed characterised Pradeep Guha. Like his simple signature, that was but a tick mark, as if it meant ‘just go ahead and do it’. Aim high, set quality standards, inspire the team and just do it was the simple strategy he employed. The legendary media man who put India on the Global Media map in many ways is no more,” said Times Network, managing director and chief executive officer, MK Anand.

    “His professional achievements are multifarious – dominance in print media, advertising excellence, beauty queens, mega format ground events, the list goes on. He was one of the earliest of the current generation of high flyers who burst on to the Indian corporate landscape in the late 80’s and blazed through the 90’s. The young turk who kept rising,” he added.

  • Times Network rejigs top leadership, elevates Rahul Shivshankar to editorial director

    Times Network rejigs top leadership, elevates Rahul Shivshankar to editorial director

    Mumbai: The Times Network on Tuesday announced key appointments and elevations in its leadership team. On the editorial front, Rahul Shivshankar has been elevated to editorial director. In addition to the new role, he will continue to lead the editorial mandate of Times Now as its editor-in-chief.

    The announcement comes at a time when the broadcast network is gearing up for the launch of its Hindi news channels, Times Now Navbharat HD and ET Now Swadesh. On Monday, the company named Times Network group editor Navika Kumar as the editor-in-chief of the new channel.

    Times Network, MD and CEO, MK Anand said, “2020 was a tumultuous year for the broadcasters and while we were severely tested by the pandemic, Times Network not just managed to harness every headwind in its path but continued to march ahead successfully by setting new industry benchmarks. The superior talent of our leadership team is one of key pillars that drove the network’s significant growth during these unprecedented times and accelerated our overall digital transformation efforts. Their elevations are a recognition of their contribution to the growth of the company.”

    Strengthening its digital portfolio, the company has elevated Vivek Srivastava to president, strategy & operations – Broadcast & Digital. He will lead the digital operations of the network and oversee product strategy, audience development and operations planning for both digital and broadcast businesses.

    Savvy Dilip has been appointed as executive vice president & head- digital growth. Savvy will lead product development, content led audience growth, technology based digital consumer experiences, social media amplification and online marketing for all the digital platforms of the Network. A seasoned professional, Savvy brings in-depth expertise across Marketing, Media, Product, Technology and Entrepreneurship. In her new role, Savvy will be reporting to Vivek Srivastava.

    Other senior management promotions include Manish Wadkar, senior vice president & head – Legal, Pranav Bakshi, senior vice president – digital, Hina Jafri, vice president & head – Corporate Communications, Poonam Bavdanker, vice president – Human Resources, Saurabh Bhowal, vice president & head – content and programming, Zoom & The Zoom Studios and Mihir Bhatt, vice president & executive editor, Times Influence.

    Continuing to play a pivotal role in aiding the Network’s growth, leadership team comprising Jagdish Mulchandani – chief operating Officer and executive president, Jignesh Kenia, executive vice president & head – corporate strategy & digital transformation, Gaurav Dhawan, executive vice president – revenue and S. Srivathsan as executive vice president and Head – human resources will drive their respective portfolios for the Network.