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Tag: Times Network

  • Brand Arnab unhurt by controversies

    Brand Arnab unhurt by controversies

    MUMBAI: Arnab Goswami has been hogging the limelight from the beginning of this week, first with his impromptu resignation from the Editors Guild of India during a live television debate show, and now for the multiple FIRs filed against him for making derogatory comment against a political personality during a live debate. The Supreme Court has given him three weeks’ protection from arrest.

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    Goswami, a founding member and editor-in-chief of the Republic Media Network, has hogged the limelight even as the country is racked by the COVID-19 crisis. But will these recent controversies affect the brand image of Goswami and his channel? Certainly not! On the other, they will only help Republic TV gain some traction, point out media agencies and brand experts.

    “The controversy will have little effect on viewership or sponsorship; in fact, it might attract more viewers,” says FCB Ulka executive creative director Anindya Banerjee. “As a brand, Republic TV has managed to stay in the news in more ways than one. The people, who watch it, know it, and love it.”

    Banerjee further says: “The brands which are associated with the channel are aware of it and love the fact that consumers engage with the news channel.”

    Echoing the same view, Havas Media, India and Southeast Asia chief executive officer Anita Nayyar says: “Logically, any positive controversy lends positivity and a negative one lends negativity. And, the controversy garners a lot of eyeballs and in any case brands ride on it, if deemed fit.”

    The apex court has ruled in favour of Goswami, granting protection from arrest in the case of FIRs filed against him in various states. A source close to the Republic TV says: “This case will probably set a benchmark and precedent of any such future cases. Here, multiple FIRs were filed. But tools like this cannot be used in any negative manner. It’s a big win for the media company.”

    Republic TV has been the most-watched news channel in India for the straight fifteenth week so far this year, according to the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) of India. And, while dwindling ad revenues have affected the majority of television channels due to the COVID-19 crisis, the Republic is unaffected by any such revenue losses, according to a top official of the network.

    Says DigitalKites senior vice-president Amit Lall: “Brands relate to Arnab Goswami because of his success story as an individual. The moment it comes to brands, it always picks and chooses people who are safe and try to be neutral. They don’t like people, who are volatile or impromptu. Brands will continue to put money into it (Republic TV), purely because it has viewership. And, don’t think controversies like such would impact the advertising sales of the network,” says Lall.

    Comniscient Group chief executive officer N Chandramouli says: “Arnab Goswami understands its audience well and have managed to create an audience clutter which nobody has. People believe in his perspective and take him seriously, which helps him get viewership and TRPs for his news channels. He is driven by his audience; we think he has an agenda but his audience has an agenda. Republic TV is completely audience-driven and believes he delivers for his consumers.”

    Arnab Goswami rose to become one of the prominent journalists during his 10-year stint at Times Network where he was an editor-in-chief and primetime anchor of Times Now, which went on to become one of the most-watched news channels then under his editorship. The channel had eventually started getting traction due to his face value. In 2016, Goswami started his own news network, Republic Media, and holds a controlling stake in the company with over 80 per cent of shares.

  • News networks’ COVID-19 campaigns seek engagement, brand image

    News networks’ COVID-19 campaigns seek engagement, brand image

    MUMBAI: It’s been almost a month since lockdown and news channels have launched dozens of campaigns on both television and digital platforms to talk about COVID-19. Though the preliminary objective of these campaigns is to create awareness and educate the audience, they also help channels create engagement and that eventually may result in getting more advertisers.

    Havas Media Group India and South East Asia chief executive officer Anita Nayyar says, “Marketing campaigns, irrespective of the genre, are meant to improve the brand image or to address any other marketing objective of the channel and that also applies to news channels. Hence, it is a given that campaigns being run by news channels will help to promote them.”

    Network18 was the first to launch a campaign called #IndiaGives, wherein each employee of the network donated one day's salary to daily-wage workers and all those severely impacted due to this unprecedented crisis.

    The network is also running a full-fledged television and digital awareness and self-help campaign – #MakeYourOwnMask, which aims to create awareness about the most basic infection prevention and control measure – wearing masks outdoors. In addition, each news channel of the network has its own special programming.

    “Our campaigns are aligned with the issues of the day,” says Network18 chief executive officer – television news Avinash Kaul. “A key differentiator of most of our campaigns is that they are editorial-led, with our journalists championing them and our programming also reflects that. This adds a great deal of credibility to the campaigns. As a company, we always take the long view.”

    Stating that it has always been involved with causes that are aligned with nation-building, Kaul says, “We believe that institutions and great brands are built by being operationally nimble, caring and having a long term vision that aligns with national and societal concerns and aspirations.”

    News channels are always aligned to causes more than anybody else, says TRA Research CEO N Chandramouli. “Cause marketing is a very old tool used by news agencies and currently, they have taken the cause of COVID-19 scenario." He also adds the this is due to a lack of advertisers despite the exponential viewership growth in the recent past.

    Times Network has launched an umbrella campaign called ‘Fighting Fear with Facts’ that focusses on delivering fact-based reportage and defuse panic and fear while offering uninterrupted news to its viewers. The network’s news brands have also come up with special programming along with campaign initiatives like Factoids, Safety Tips, Do’s and Don’ts, Myth busters, among others.

    In the same line as its peers, Times Network has also launched the campaign ‘India Cares’ across its network channels to mobilise support from the viewers to raise funds to PM CARES Fund, to support the migrants and daily labourers, whose livelihoods have been challenged by the epidemic.

    “We believe in creating one campaign as the face of the brand rather coming up with various campaigns and confusing viewers,” says a source.

    “At this time of crisis, the communication shouldn’t be pushy about your product through campaigns. Rather, it should focus on asserting some motivation and inspiration to the viewers,” says DigitalKites senior vice-president Amit Lall.

    Unlike the other two, ABP News Network has launched different campaigns on its channels covering region-specific COVID-19 stories. The network’s Hindi news channel ABP News has initiated a campaign called #CoronakoDhona to strengthen the consciousness of the virus and ensure the safety of the people.

    The network’s Marathi news channel — ABP Majha along with a campaign has curated a special show called ‘Corona Parishad’ to impart the COVID-19 knowledge to the viewers. Similarly, an initiative on ABP Ganga called ‘Corona Ke Karam Yodha’ was telecast to throw light on the unsung heroes of COVID-19, whether they are policemen, doctors, or any other individuals.

    ABP News Network chief executive officer Avinash Pandey says: “We measure the success of our organisation through the kind of influence we have on our viewers. For us, nothing comes above the support and aid to people and communities in the time of need. COVID-19 has emanated a sense of disruption and despair worldwide. Through these initiatives and campaigns, our aim was to safeguard the health of the people, spread maximum awareness, create a positive societal impact and most importantly, fulfill our long-standing commitment to deliver the best at all times.”

    “The reason channels are coming up with a lot of campaigns is because they are seeing the sentiments of viewers are low and currently there are fewer advertisers buying ad space and inventories," adds Lall.

    “The campaigns run by news channels are being seen as public service and disseminating information to help build awareness of the unforeseen situation the country is in,” says Nayyar.

    Recently, the News Broadcasters Federation showed its resistance to media agencies trying to cut down ad rates by 50 per cent despite news being the most-watched genre.

    Even the News Broadcasters Association spoke about the fact that even top channels are seeing less than 50 per cent ad bookings even as agencies are trying to defer payments to channels.

    Even though news channels are doing their bit of social service, they will also need revenue to keep the business running. Under normal circumstances, channels may have roped in sponsors for various campaigns as well. But right now, the market looks bleak.

  • Times Network unveils Times Fact India Outbreak Report for COVID-19

    Times Network unveils Times Fact India Outbreak Report for COVID-19

    MUMBAI: Times Network in partnership with a global consulting firm Protiviti unveiled Times Fact India Outbreak Report, a comprehensive analysis that highlights the impact of the pandemic in India and projects the possible number of active cases in the weeks ahead.

    Aligned with the Network’s umbrella campaign — Fighting Fear with Facts — the report was featured across network’s news channels – TIMES NOW, ET NOW and Mirror NOW – on 17 April with an exclusive two-hour-long programme that discussed the emerging COVID-19 scenario and its implications with leading experts and policymakers.

    “Times Fact India Outbreak Report is based on three different models, the percentage model, which involves mapping trends from Italy and the United States onto India; the Time Series Model, which involves factors in data across time periods in China and South Korea in addition to two polynomial regression models adapted to Indian data, and the Susceptible Exposed Infected Recovered (SEIR) model which is based on an estimation of a reproduction rate of the epidemic,” reads the official statement of the network.

    Drawing critical information from central government data, state government bulletins, and daily updates provided by the health ministry, the report is a holistic COVID-19 projection for the nation. It also takes into account the healthcare capacity of the nation and its states, to understand shortfall of beds and availability of ICUs, in the event of an escalation.

    Based on a predictive model which leverages verified big data and new technologies for effective decision-making, the report aims to empower the administrative authorities to spot possible hotspots, critical gaps and build capacity to meet the arising situation.

    It captures six national projections and includes individual analysis for eight states and four cities. The study also provides a projection of what could happen if the lockdown is lifted within a certain time-frame.

    Times Network chief executive officer and managing director MK Anand says: “The Times Fact India Outbreak Report is a step aimed to dispel the uncertainty with facts, ably backed by a scientific approach that analyses the impact of COVID-19 in India and throws light on potential lethal gaps in infrastructure which can be a lead indicator of social unrest and disruption in specific geographies.”

    He further says that the current pandemic disruption is probably the most significant event of our lifetime with socio-economic implications. we believe in taking the onus and proactively responding with timely and high-quality information that assists in arresting the adversity.

    “I am confident that this report will act as an important enabler to navigate the evolving scenario of the pandemic with a systematic approach and help in building decisive strategies to flatten the curve,” exhorts Times Network’s CEO and MD.

    Protiviti India director – data and digital transformation Dhrubabrata Ghosh Dastidar says, “The study is an example of how with the help of data, technology and sophisticated analytical algorithms, we can analyze a ‘black swan’ – in this case, a global pandemic, monitor the same on a regular basis to see the various possible paths it can take, and provide insights based on strong modelling outcomes. This will help the nation face the future with confidence.”

  • It’s all-day primetime for Times Network’s English movie channels during lockdown

    It’s all-day primetime for Times Network’s English movie channels during lockdown

    MUMBAI: In the third week of lockdown due to COVID-19, Indians decided that they had had enough news and turned to movies for a refreshing change. While Hindi and regional movie channels gained big, English movie channels saw an 83 per cent rise in viewership in week 13 in 2020, according to the BARC-Nielsen report.  

    Times Network English entertainment cluster president – strategy and business head Vivek Srivastava says: “Overall TV viewership has seen a 45 per cent increase during this lockdown period. News and movies have been the two most-watched genres. Movies have exhibited almost 80 per cent growth. Times Network’s English entertainment brands had adapted to the new tariff order (NTO) very well and we barely lost any eyeballs. However, post the implementation of the NTO, few players lost significant viewership, and it is heartening to see that during this lockdown, the category is seeing resurgence and that’s a positive sign.”

    During the ongoing lockdown, the network is treating the whole day as primetime and is scheduling blockbuster Hollywood content throughout the day. Some of the big titles include The Avengers, Thor: Ragnarok, Thor: The Dark World, Guardians of the Galaxy, Spiderman Franchise, Despicable Me 3, Cars 3, Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle, Ant-Man, Creed 2, Vice, etc.

    Srivastava informs that primetime is still the biggest peak, but there has been significant growth in non-primetime as well, especially the afternoon band. However, advertising has declined during the lockdown period. “That is primarily because of the unavailability of products across most categories and the inability of consumers to step out of their homes during this period. We expect a slowdown till the lockdown remains,” he adds.

    While some advertisers have stopped advertising, those less affected are using it for brand building. For them, the movie genre presents a good opportunity. “We continue to see advertising from BFSI, a few brands in automobiles, e-commerce, consumer durables, and FMCG categories,” he says.

    On the company front, Srivastava says that the Times Network was one of the first broadcasters to adopt a work-from-home system even before the nationwide lockdown was announced. “This was a result of our foresight and preparedness to ensure seamless BCP by equipping our teams with necessary technological services, increased internet bandwidth, collaborative IT tools for meetings and discussions for executing work requirements seamlessly,” he says.

  • News channels spread awareness on Covid19 through unique campaigns

    News channels spread awareness on Covid19 through unique campaigns

    MUMBAI: During these testing times when coronavirus is spreading rapidly in the country, news channels have taken measures to make viewers more vigilant to fight this pandemic through various TV and social media campaigns.

    In this regard, each network is doing its bit by spreading awareness and helping the government to send positivity. Along with that, the channels are also trying to bust rumours and fake news regarding Covid19. Even prime minister Narendra Modi asked people to spare a thought for the journsliu  who are in the thick of this pandemic, reporting.

    Not just news channels, many brands have stepped forward and started a campaign with an aim to break the chain of virus spread.

    Times Network launched #IndiaFightsCoronaVirus, a consumer awareness campaign to fight and control the spread of the pandemic. Says Times Network’s president – strategy and business head – english entertainment cluster Vivek Srivastava, “It aims to encourage and empower the viewers with accurate and verified news, diffuse panic while offering uninterrupted news and entertainment.” 

    “Ensuring that the viewers are protected from misinformation and fake information, TIMES NOW, ET NOW and MIRROR NOW drives home the importance of fighting fear with factual and accurate information. News brands are also on top of the coverage with the content offerings like safety tips, do’s and don’ts, myth busters, and ask the expert among others,” adds Srivastava.

    In the digital sphere, the network is also leveraging its social media assets across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and Tiktok through a series of curated short format videos led by the network’s anchors, that explain and bust myths around the virus and covers relevant questions and concerns of the viewers, explains Srivastava.

    Similarly, ABP News Network has come up with a public awareness campaign to address the virus. The campaign, which is called ‘#CoronaKoDhona,’ has garnered tremendous traction on television as well as the social media pages of ABP News. The video campaigning comprised of 13 short clips featuring the network’s anchors, presenting a short awareness message on the importance of handwashing.

    In this regard, ABP News Network chief executive officer Avinash Pandey, says: “When mankind is fighting a deadly pandemic, awareness and sensibility are the initial steps. Through this campaign, we aim to safeguard the health of the people by providing requisite information on the virus so that preventive measures can be taken effectively, while also dispelling fear & worry on the pandemic.”

    India TV has created a campaign “India TV Ki Pukar, Ghar pe Raho Iss Baar” with a campaign hashtag #StayAtHome, which is shown on its news channel and social media platforms. Moreover, the channel has also made other offline services available such as a 24×7 dedicated helpline to address viewer queries during distress.

    India TV marketing manager Aruna Jamwal says: “The idea is to ensure that in these testing times we should all come together, by staying away, and support country’s united response led by prime minister Narendra Modi in ensuring that his message should reach every Indian and each one of us take it as a responsibility upon us to abide by the same.”

    India TV digital has also been making all efforts that users across spectrum receive credible information at all times through its social media handles, which has millions of followers. Highpoints of all related shows on news channels are also interestingly packaged for dissemination on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube among others.

    India TV’s marketing manager also says: “The programming is not only dedicated to spreading credible knowledge, disseminate awareness as possible, but by also sharing expert opinions and spreading the list of do’s and don’ts at regular intervals. We are also creating audience-connect specials for a real-time face-fo-face query redressals to the benefit of millions sitting in their homes.”

  • Times Network elevates Navika Kumar as group editor – politics

    Times Network elevates Navika Kumar as group editor – politics

    MUMBAI: Times Network has announced the elevation of Navika Kumar as group editor – politics. In her new role, Kumar will have additional charge of driving political reporting strategy for the Network’s news brands ET NOW, MIRROR NOW, and Timesnownews.com while continuing to play a pivotal role in the management of the Network’s legacy brand Times NOW. 

    Kumar will also direct the content for all political & policy led IPs of the network under Times Influence.

    She is a renowned news personality who has made an indelible mark across print and broadcast journalism. Known for her extensive knowledge on Indian politics and business, Kumar is credited for investigating and breaking high impact stories including Office for Profit story, CWG scam, Augusta chopper scam, Aircel-Maxis deal amongst others.

    Times Network MD & CEO MK Anand said, “Navika Kumar has played a key role in nurturing our flagship channel, Times Now since its inception. Her extensive knowledge and capabilities in the political space has immensely contributed to the channel’s leadership position. Navika is a valued member of the network's top management team and we are delighted that her attention and expertise will now be harnessed in areas beyond Times Now as well. I am confident she will enable us to generate greater goodwill and value for Times Network.”

    Kumar said, “My 15 years of association with TIMES NOW has truly been enriching. As I take on this new mantle, I look forward to working with the teams across the network to build strategies and add value to India’s fastest growing news network.”

  • NBCUniversal India gets Sangeetha Aiyer as marketing head

    NBCUniversal India gets Sangeetha Aiyer as marketing head

    MUMBAI: Former head of marketing: Network18 Digital, Sangeetha Aiyer, has been appointed as the head of marketing, NBCUniversal India. She will be responsible for the marketing, digital and promotional strategy of Universal Pictures theatrical products in India. In her new role, she will develop the cohesive strategy for the studio’s IPs and premium products in India working in tandem with the international marketing team and other functional heads in India to ensure the strategic direction of the studio’s releases is successfully implemented.
    With a career spanning over 19 years, Aiyer is an experienced marketing and content professional with comprehensive experience across industries. She has been instrumental in building media brands on both linear and non-linear platforms, ranging from FM radio, Youth, News, Factual and Lifestyle channels.

    Prior to Network18 Digital, Aiyer has had a long and fruitful association with AETN18 (JV between A+E Networks and TV18) for over 8 years. As one of the founding team leads, she has played a significant role in spearheading the growth strategy for the JV, specifically the brands History TV18 and FYI TV18 on linear and social platforms. 

    She has also worked with Times Network, Star Network, Reliance Big FM, Arvind Brands and Ambience Publicis.

  • 2019: A year that was for English GECs

    2019: A year that was for English GECs

    MUMBAI: 2019 was all about implementation and the impact of new tariff order (NTO). It has been a year of disruption and innovation for the industry. Overall it was a challenging year for niche channels but throughout the year, channels made various efforts to overcome them and retain its consumer base. Going forward in 2020, leading English GECs, Zee Café and Colors Infinity, plan to offer innovative and engaging content to strengthen their subscriber base. The sector hopes for stability and positive growth in the broadcast industry. 

    “NTO implemented in Feb 2019 impacted reach and ad sales and broadcasters have been managing this change to get to a new equilibrium. We hope proposed tweaks to the regulation will further help stability,” says Times Network MD and CEO MK Anand. “Consolidation in the M&E sector will continue in FY'20. This will have a positive impact on cost efficiencies and the overall competitiveness of the broadcast industry.”

    “After months of tepid and negative performance across the board, some ad categories are expected to see a resurgence in FY'20, which will be a welcome respite to broadcasters,” he adds. 

    Zee Café’s big focus for the year ahead is to drive subscriber value. “Consumer experience alongside engaging content will be key to driving growth. Businesses that quickly adapt to the new tariff regime and align growth levers to solve for relevant consumer needs will ultimately benefit,” says ZEE Entertainment premium cluster business head Kartik Mahadev. 

    Similarly, Viacom18’s English cluster will bring unique international content and continue to explore more concepts that attract viewers, partner brands and sponsors. It will continue to consolidate and bolster by engaging with consumers and offer the best of international content, awards, music events and homegrown content. Adding new shows to the existing line-up as well as broadcasting the biggest entertainment events and music awards including the Golden Globe Awards, Billboards, American & Europe Music Awards, Brit Awards, and the Grammy Awards amongst others.

    Viacom18 Youth, Music & English Entertainment head Ferzad Palia says: “2019 has been a year of disruption for the entire entertainment industry and we’ve embraced it to the fullest. These changes challenged broadcasters to retain and expand their consumer base, while making consumers more aware of their entertainment habits and the value that comes with individual choices.”

    “Despite the many industry-wide challenges, we have maintained our leadership position with consistent performance across all our channels thus our ratings continue to surge in an upward trend. In terms of market share, we continue to hold a lion’s share of the pie, currently being around 71 per cent in the month of Nov’19 (GEC + Music), even more than 2017.

    While the expectation has always been for light or infrequent viewers to drop off, the heartening part is that we have managed to increase consumption from our loyal base and also acquire fresh subscribers through a solid content offering and innovative outreach programmes,” he further adds. 

    Strategies adopted by the channels to overcome the challenges in 2019

    Maintaining a balance of quality and variety has been pivotal in adapting rapidly in terms of retaining and attracting new viewers. In a conscious effort to reach newer, younger audiences the channels went beyond conventional promotional methods and practices through innovative and clutter-breaking marketing campaigns.

    “2019 has been a year of significant disruption and innovation for Zee English Cluster. By far, one of our biggest achievements has been to be able to offer World Television Premieres to our viewers, reducing the wait time for Hollywood blockbuster movies’ television release by half. Hollywood movie fans can now watch their favourite movies within months of release. Zee English cluster also gave consumers the choice to watch their favourite movies and World Television Premieres in their native language – Hindi, Tamil or Telugu, alongside English. This has successfully enabled us to widen our audience base delivering a better channel experience to the Zee Prime English pack subscribers,” says Mahadev

    On Zee Café, the third season of BBC First, our flagship programming block, was extremely

    successful and well-received by our discerning audience. The channel has also upheld its legacy by bringing multiple award-winning dramas and mini-series such as the Golden Globe nominee ‘The Loudest Voice’, Season 16 of the Golden Globe winner ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, the Emmy Award winners ‘Counterpart Season 2’ and ‘McMafia’, as part of ‘Along With The US’ and ‘Hollywood On Café.’ Shows that were “TV First” and mini-series as a strategy worked well for Zee Café in strengthening engagement with its audience.

    Examples of Viacom18 English cluster’s innovative campaigns in 2019:

    1) Colors Infinity – BFFs With Vogue – For its 3rd successive season, television’s most riotous Bollywood chat show BFFs With Vogue hosted by the sassy Neha Dhupia, received an overwhelming response from audience, as well as clients. Complementing the extensive ATL campaign that included multi-city Outdoor and Radio promotions, COLORS INFINITY launched ‘The BFF Quiz’ – a pioneering Amazon Alexa voice skill for the show, voiced by the show’s host Neha Dhupia. It further recreated an ARVR-version of Neha’s cosy and exclusive loft for BFFs With Vogue, that gave viewers a life-sized virtual step-in tour to the loft.

    2) Comedy Central – FRIENDS – Marking the milestone 25th anniversary of Friends, Comedy Central India and Warner Bros. Television Group brought a specially created replica of the iconic Central Perk orange couch to India. This unique experience gave loyal fans an opportunity to re-enact and re-live the countless indelible moments from the show. Taking the anniversary celebration a few notches higher it also rewarded the winner of the ‘Wackiest Friends Fan’ contest with a paid trip to New York and a visit to the sold-out Friends 25 Pop-Up Experience along with a friend.

    3) Vh1 – World Music Day – For the first time ever, two music powerhouses – MTV Beats and Vh1 India curate a 24-hour LIVE music festival on World Music Day on Facebook and Instagram. In this 24-hour long musical gig, that transcended beyond genres, over 40+ India’s most popular musicians, including a string of B-town artists like Darshan Raval, Aparshakti Khurana, Aastha Gill alongside Indie musicians like Zaeden, Sickflip, Su Real and many more, collaborated to perform their best songs live. Giving fans an experience of a lifetime. The campaign reached 60Mn+, 25Mn+ impressions, 5Mn+ engagement and overall, 10Mn+ people viewed the live across 24 hours.

    Plans for 2020

    “We’re also the first-choice for brands when it comes to AFPs (Advertiser Funded Programming). In 2019, Comedy Central partnered with Sterling Reserve to create a talent hunt for the next comedy sensation with Sterling Reserve Comedy Project hosted by the witty Varun Thakur. And we’ll continue to explore more concepts that attract viewers, partner brands and sponsors. Additionally, our unique on-ground and digital marketing initiatives that engage the massive new-age audience, continues to deliver higher visibility in the market,” said Palia.

    The year ahead promises to be very exciting for the Zee English cluster. It is a milestone year for Zee Café, the pioneering English entertainment channel, as it turns 20! To commemorate the occasion, the channel has special plans to engage with its discerning consumers. Drama being the biggest strength of the channel, it will continue showcasing award-winning and compelling shows. 

    “With our upcoming property ‘Greatest Of All Time’ we are very excited to showcase the most iconic and anticipated dramas such as Star Trek: ‘Discovery’, ‘Dynasty’ and ‘Penny Dreadful’. Continuing to feature diverse genres, the channel will also curate light-hearted conversational content with shows that are locally nuanced such as ‘Not Just Supper Stars’ and ‘Starry Nights – Gen Y’ which will go on- air early next year. The upcoming season of Starry Nights features the next generation of Bollywood stars who are hyper-connected and have a following, in an unfiltered conversation that is real and relatable,” informed Mahadev.

  • Times Network announces its signature event Times Network India Economic Conclave 2019

    Times Network announces its signature event Times Network India Economic Conclave 2019

    MUMBAI: After the phenomenal success of its regional chapters, Times Network, announces its annual signature event, Times Network India Economic Conclave 2019 (IEC). Driving this edition’s theme, ‘$5 Trillion – Aspiration to Action’, the two-day conclave on December 16 & 17 in Mumbai brings together policy makers, bankers, economists, CXO's, global speakers and industry bodies to share actionable strategies that will enable India to continue its significant journey to the $5 trillion milestone.

    Illuminating the path to progress for an India on the rise, IEC has been instrumental in addressing the critical issues concerning the country’s economic scenario. In 2018, IEC laid the foundation for India’s mission of $5 Trillion GDP by 2024, which became the clarion call for the nation. Taking the agenda forward, IEC 2019 aims to get the nation’s economic engine roaring again by chalking out a clear road map for translating the $5 trillion aspiration to action and rejuvenate the confidence of the world in India’s growth story against the backdrop of the on-going global economic uncertainty.

    Presenting the sharpest minds in business, governance and policy making, IEC has become the hallmark of economic thought leadership. With thought provoking sessions and actionable solutions from world-class thinkers and speakers under one roof, IEC 2019 presents an impressive line-up of speakers including Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Ravi Shankar Prasad -Minister of Law & Justice, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology; Dharmendra Pradhan –  Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel, Government of India; Shaktikanta Das – RBI Governor; Gita Gopinath – Chief Economist, IMF; Nassim Nicholas Taleb – Scholar, Trader and Risk Expert; D Subbarao – Former RBI Governor; Rajnish Kumar – Chairman, SBI; Uday Kotak – MD, Kotak Mahindra Bank; Sadhguru – Indian yogi, mystic and author; Rajan Anandan – Managing Director, Sequoia Capital;  Anil Agarwal – Founder & Chairman, Vedanta Resources; Manish Chokhani – Director, ENAM Holdings; Amitabh Chaudhry – CEO, Axis Bank; Pawan Goenka – MD, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited; Chris Wood – Global Head of Equity Strategy, Jefferies; V Vaidyanathan – MD & CEO, IDFC FIRST Bank; Keki Mistry – Vice Chairman & CEO, HDFC; Mark Mobius – Partner, Mobius Capital Partners; Ashok P Hinduja – Chairman, Hinduja Group of Companies and Gopichand P Hinduja – Co-Chairman, Hinduja Group of Companies amongst others. Richard Branson – Founder, Virgin Group will deliver a special message