Tag: Pranav Bakshi

Pranav Bakshi gets promoted to pilot Network18’s Connected growth engine

MUMBAI: Network18’s digital dynamo Pranav Bakshi has just bagged a bold new title — chief growth officer, Network18 Connected — as he takes charge of accelerating content, audience, and revenue across connected TV, social platforms, and strategic partnerships.

But this isn’t just a new nameplate on the desk. With his finger on the pulse of where audiences are headed (and not where they’ve lingered), Bakshi is gearing up to rewire how content is created, consumed and commercialised across the media conglomerate’s vast portfolio.

“This role is about leading the charge, not catching up,” said Bakshi. “It’s about scaling platforms, monetising content smartly, and building future-proof digital ecosystems.”

Having previously helmed digital video strategy for over 45 Network18 brands — from CNN-News18 and CNBC-TV18 to Firstpost, Moneycontrol and History TV18 — Bakshi’s remit covered everything from CTV to creators, from off-platform growth to platform partnerships.

Before his Network18 innings, Bakshi brought the firepower at Times network, heading digital video, strategy, partnerships, and social media for a bouquet of brands with a collective follower base of 60 million. He’s also worn hats at NDTV, TOI, Taj Hotels and even Maersk, with a track record of marrying content with commerce and strategy with scale.

With his elevation, expect Bakshi to keep the content taps flowing — but this time, through smarter pipes, faster funnels, and next-gen platforms. The build, as he says, continues.

May 20, 2025
Pranav Bakshi takes charge as chief growth officer for Network18 Connected

MUMBAI: Network18’s next big digital leap has a new commander. Pranav Bakshi, the veteran media strategist, has been elevated to chief growth officer at Network18 Connected, the digital-forward vertical of Network18 Media & Investments Limited. The announcement was made public via LinkedIn on 20 May 2025.

This isn’t just a title change — it’s a pivot that reflects Network18’s ambitions to expand aggressively across connected TV, social platforms, digital distribution, and new-age partnerships. Bakshi, with a career spanning over two decades, will now be steering growth, product, revenue, and content innovation across a portfolio that includes CNN-News18, CNBC-TV18, News18 India, Moneycontrol, Firstpost, History TV18, and more.

“I’m excited to step into the role of chief growth officer – Network18 Connected. This isn’t just a title change — it’s an opportunity to lead the growth and transformation of content and content consumption across platforms that are shaping how audiences engage today: Connected TV, social ecosystems, and strategic digital partnerships”, Bakshi said. “The vision is clear: create impact where audiences are headed, not where they’ve been”.

Bakshi previously led Network18’s digital video strategy and partnerships division. From spearheading digital video transformation across 45+ brands to building early off-platform momentum, he has been instrumental in crafting the network’s modern media engine. His earlier stints include leadership roles at Times Network and NDTV, where he handled P&L, content innovation, and revenue transformation.

A recipient of the Chairman’s Excellence Award at Times Network, Bakshi has consistently worked at the intersection of content, business and emerging tech. At Network18, his new mandate includes expanding presence in international markets, growing CTV viewership, and driving monetisation across social and connected ecosystems.

May 20, 2025
Network18 surpasses 325 million social media followers

Mumbai: Network18 has reached a milestone of over 325 million followers in the digital space as of September 2024.

This achievement makes Network18 the largest news network in India by follower base, showcasing its influence across platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Snapchat, and WhatsApp. Network18’s extensive reach encompasses brands such as CNN-News18, CNBC-TV18, News18 India, Firstpost and the News18 Regional cluster.

In the first half of this year, it garnered 19 billion views on YouTube, a substantial increase from 11.5 billion views in the same period last year. The audience consumed 822 million hours of content, a rise from 498 million hours previously. Twelve of its YouTube channels currently hold the number one position in their respective categories, solidifying its status as the leading news network on the platform. The network’s presence on WhatsApp Channels has further fuelled its growth, with over 47 million followers contributing to its expanding digital footprint.

A focus on regional news has been central to Network18’s digital success, achieving over 11 billion views H1 in regional content. With 120+ million followers across regional platforms, Network18 continues to deliver hyper-local content in diverse South and Northeastern Indian languages, catering to varied linguistic communities and broadening its reach to new audiences.

Network18’s appeal to new audiences added 47 million new followers in recent months to reach a total of 325 million. News18 Bangla has nearly reached two billion views, while News18 Odia and News18 Punjab have both exceeded the one billion view milestone.

Network18, head – Partnerships and Digital Video Strategy, Pranav Bakshi, emphasised the significance of this achievement. “We’ve not only established the largest social media presence in India but also achieved remarkable growth on Connected TV, with a threefold increase. Our connected TV audience has doubled in the last 6 months, and we continue to expand our footprint on CTV & FAST networks. We are the only news network with such vast digital reach. No competitor matches our scale or growth trajectory. Our success is a result of our commitment to providing high-quality, tailored, and engaging content across all screens—mobile, desktop, and TV.”

October 21, 2024
Network18 and DistroTV announce partnership to stream channels Live and free in India

Mumbai: Network18, a major media conglomerate in India, and DistroTV, a leading independent, free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) platform, has announced a partnership, which will enable DistroTV users in India to stream Network18’s diverse portfolio of channels live and for free.

In its initial phase, the partnership has seen the launch of Network18’s key channels such as CNN-News18, News18 India, CNBC TV18 and CNBC Awaaz on the platform. The collaboration is expected to be strengthened with additions of more Network18 channels from across its regional and digital portfolio in the near future.

Speaking on the new partnership, Network18 head – video strategy & partnerships Pranav Bakshi said, “We are excited to join forces with DistroTV. This partnership aligns with our goal of providing a best-in-class user experience for our viewers across the country. The launch of our diverse set of channels on DistroTV is a testament to our commitment to innovation in the dynamic media landscape. We hope to reach maximum audiences on the platform.”

“DistroTV is thrilled to partner with Network18, a media powerhouse that has revolutionized the Indian media landscape,” said DistroScale CEO & co-founder Navdeep Saini, parent company of DistroTV. “This partnership will bring a diverse array of quality content to our audiences in India, further solidifying DistroTV’s position as the best place to watch global entertainment, news, and sports.”

DistroScale India, SEA, MENA & CEO Vikas Khanchandani added, “Our collaboration with Network18 aligns perfectly with our mission to cater to the diverse language preferences of our audiences in India. Network18 has been at the cutting edge of News and is amongst the largest news networks offering content across languages and markets. We will be bringing newer audiences to the news network as we expand our distribution across platforms.”

August 31, 2023