MUMBAI: In a high-voltage move, New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV) has tapped veteran journalist Rahul Kanwal as its new chief executive officer and key managerial personnel, effective 16 June 2025. The appointment, cleared by the board at its meeting on 25 April, awaits the final nod from the ministry of information and broadcasting.
Kanwal, who resigned as news director of India Today and Aaj Tak, and executive director of Business Today about a fortnight ago, brings more than 25 years of newsroom grit to the corner office. Known for his prime-time presence, election dissections and hard-nosed investigations, Kanwal has built a formidable brand in Indian journalism.
An alumnus of the general management program at Harvard Business School and a Chevening Scholar, Kanwal honed his reporting chops at Delhi University and Cardiff University, specialising in international broadcast journalism. He is also a Roy Peck Trust Grant awardee for hostile environment journalism — and no stranger to both on-ground turbulence and boardroom manoeuvres.
Kanwal’s editorial journey spans senior stints at Zee News and Headlines Today, marked by multiple awards for journalistic excellence. As he trades the anchor desk for the CEO’s chair, industry watchers are keen to see whether his instinct for headline-grabbing stories will translate into headline-grabbing strategies at NDTV.
Meanwhile, the news broadcaster wrapped up FY25 with a cocktail of heady revenue growth and strategic bravado — and a side of losses. Busy transforming itself into a global, next-gen media powerhouse, NDTV posted a 19 per cent jump in fourth-quarter revenue and a full-year top-line surge of 26 per cent.
The network’s bold gambit included expansive coverage of heavyweight events like the Mahakumbh and Delhi Elections, alongside marquee brands such as Yuva and the NDTV Auto Awards. Meanwhile, its digital arm raced ahead, clocking a 47 per cent year-on-year jump in users across websites and apps.
This was no year of half-measures. NDTV went all in — expanding distribution, overhauling its production and digital ecosystems, and splashing out on brand-building. It also widened its portfolio, launching NDTV Marathi to capture regional audiences and NDTV World to beam India’s view to global shores. The year also saw the launch of the ambitious NDTV World Summit, a high-powered gathering of global movers and shakers.
However, ambition comes at a cost. Heavy investments meant NDTV ended the year in the red — a deliberate sacrifice, the company says, to sow the seeds for sustainable, profitable growth ahead.
“FY 2024-25 was a defining year where we chose to lead with ambition and invest in the future,” said NDTV executive director and editor in chief Sanjay Pugalia. “We are confident the strategic decisions taken this year will deliver long-term value for our audiences, partners, and stakeholders.”
