MxMIndia

Tag: Abraham Thomas

  • To get added responsibilities in revenue and technical departments

    Big FM elevates Sunil Kumaran as COO

    By Our Staff

     

    Sunil Kumaran
    Sunil Kumaran

    Big FM, the  radio network, has recently announced the elevation of Sunil Kumaran as Chief Operating Officer. Kumaran will spearhead revenue (Sales, Sales Support, Revenue Maximisation, Account Planning) and technical functions besides continuing his current responsibility of brand (Programming, Marketing and Solutions) and boosting digital growth of the network.

     

    Speaking about his new role, Kumaran said: “We are going through a transformative time in our journey at Big.  Tapping into our strengths, we have embarked on an aggressive growth plan to leverage the opportunities presented by the fast evolving digital landscape. I am happy to move into this role where I get to work with a top-of-the-line cross functional team, to drive this evolution and growth.”

     

    Added Abraham Thomas, CEO, Reliance Broadcast Network Limited: “Sunil is a proven leader and we aim to leverage every ounce of his superpowers as a revenue, product, content, and marketing visionary to write Big FM’s success story.  His remarkable brand commitment, together with strategic vision, navigating through changing industry dynamics, constant client/listener focus, leading teams and setting them up for success and understanding of how we come together at Big FM to execute against opportunities in a collaborative way will open up avenues for Big FM to create newer milestones. Here is wishing Sunil all the very best in his new assignment. I am confident in the commitment and the ability of our teams to rise to this challenge and script the biggest comeback story of the post-Covid era.”

     

     

  • Chatterjee’s role of Chief Business Officer is in addition to his role of CFO

    RBNL CFO Asheesh Chatterjee is now also CBO

    By A Correspondent

     

    Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL) has announced the appointment of Asheesh Chatterjee in the role of Chief Business Officer, in addition to his current responsibility of serving as Chief Financial Officer of the company. During the last year, Chatterjee has been guiding the revenue and business support teams across the company apart from his usual role of managing finance, legal, IT and digital transformation.

     

    Commenting on taking on an additional role, Chatterjee said: “It’s a pleasure to be taking on the additional position of Chief Business Officer at the company with which I have been associated for 8 years. In keeping with BIG FM’s core ethos, I intend to give it my best in taking the company into its next phase of development.”

     

    Speaking about the appointment, Abraham Thomas – RBNL CEO said: “Since his appointment in 2011, Asheesh has been an asset to the company, significantly contributing towards developing practices that enhances business efficiency, manage costs effectively and deliver great value to clients. Over the last year, he has driven the Revenue, Finance and Business support teams to meet the company’s objectives.”

     

     

  • Starting in the third week of March, Balan will be on air five days a week on the recently refreshed 92.7 Big FM

    Vidya Balan turns radio jockey in real life with Big FM

    By A Correspondent

     

    Swapneel Naidu (Sr. VP & BH) Consumer Healthcare_ Asheesh Chatterjee CFO, BIG FM, Sunil Kumaran, Country Head, Thwink, RBN_ Vidya Balan_ Abe Thomas, CEO, RBN_ Sujesh Vasudevan (President, India Formulations, ME&A)

    Remember the endearing RJ in Lage Raho Munna Bhai and the slightly eccentric on in Tumhari Sallu… well, Vidya Balan will be on air five days a week on the recently refreshed 92.7 Big FM.

     

    The show titled- ‘Dhun Badal Ke Toh Dekho with Vidya Balan’ already has sponsors on board in the form of Muthoot Fincorp and VWash by Glenmark. The programme, notes a communique, aims to give impetus to positive conversations on relevant social topics and aptly features path-breaking star Vidya Balan as the radio show host for the very first time. Slated to launch in the third week of  March, the show will air every weekday evening from 7 to 9pm, with repeats on Saturday and Sunday.

     

    Talking about the show, Abraham Thomas, CEO, BIG FM said: “In these demanding times, people are expecting more and more from media brands such as ours. There is an expectation to bring purpose in to brands. In keeping with this expectation, we are moving from ‘mere entertainment to entertainment with a purpose.’ Our purpose is to influence people’s thinking. ‘Dhun Badal Ke Toh Dekho’ is Big FM’s endeavour to inspire people’s thoughts for a better tomorrow.”

     

    Added Sunil Kumaran, Country Head, Thwink Big, Big FM : “Big FM believes that as a brand it can ‘Inspire Thinking’ and through its line of ‘Dhun Badalke Toh Dekho’ we want to urge people to look at life from various perspectives and not be rigid in their approach. The show with Vidya Balan will bring out this philosophy in a never seen before format going across the country on the Big FM radio network and on digital. The show picks up wide ranging topics right from serious to light-hearted ones with a promise that it will stimulate conversations. Driven by Vidya, the show will also have experts and other celebrities discussing these topics. The show starts by the third week of March on 92.7 Big FM.”

     

     

  • He has previously worked with Radio City, RED FM, Indian Express, Sony, Astro Broadcast and MTV

    Abraham Thomas joins RBNL as CEO

    By A Correspondent

     

    Abraham Thomas

    Reliance Broadcast Network Limited has appointed Abraham Thomas as its Chief Executive Officer. Thomas, or Abe, as he is known in the fraternity, comes with over two decades of experience with a proven track record. and has a proven track record of propelling businesses across print, radio, TV and digital to newer heights in India, China and South Asia. A multi-faceted media professional turned entrepreneur with One Network Entertainment, he has previously worked with Radio City, Red FM, Indian Express, Sony, Astro Broadcast and MTV.

     

    Speaking about his role at Big FM, Abraham Thomas said: “Audio entertainment is ever evolving and players are bringing formats that are new and engaging to drive listenership and enhance advertiser relationships. Big FM’s programmatic and tech-driven developments paired with content marketing offerings by Big Thwink, support the objective of pushing more original content and innovative brand integrated campaigns across platforms. In an evolving era where audiences are consuming audio content across multiple platforms, I am excited to join this evolving business and be a part of the successful transformation and growth that lies ahead.”

     

     

  • Abraham Thomas is moving on from the company to pursue other business interests

    Ashit Kukian takes over as CEO of Radio City

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ashit Kukian has taken charge as CEO of Radio City. This follows the exit to Abraham Thomas who has moved on to pursue other business interests.

     

    Kukian was the COO of the company till 2015. And has previously worked with various organisations including Berger Paints, Garnier, Johnson and Johnson etc. He will report to Apurva Purohit, Director and Mentor of the Company.

     

     

  • AdsWizz to monetise Radio City’s Digital Audio Inventory by Using Programmatic Advertising

    Radiocity.in partners with Google AdWords for its digital offering

    By A Correspondent

     

    Radio City’s digital arm, radiocity.in has strengthened its digital backbone by partnering with Google AdWords premier small and medium business partner programme and AdsWizz, the technology provider of advertising solutions for the digital audio industry. The exclusive radio partnership with Google will provide small and medium businesses, a holistic digital media strategy and create new revenue streams for Radio City, a press release notes.

     

    Said Abraham Thomas, CEO, Radio City: “Online audio advertising has been consistently growing with the increasing popularity of online audio consumption.Radio City’s strategic alliances with two powerhouses of the digital advertising space will help us accelerate our digital first approach. The partnerships will drive synergies with our customers and enable digital audio advertising transactions to flow seamlessly between buyers and sellers. Our partnership with technology based services will also simplify and quicken the entire process of buying and selling ads, thereby benefiting all the stakeholders.”

     

    Added Rachna Kanwar, COO – Digital Media of Jagran Prakashan: “Recent trends across the globe have observed a rise in digital audio consumption and revenue growth. The revenues for audio streaming platforms have seen a growth of 37% last year in India. At Radio City, we’ve always believed in staying ahead of the curve, and this collaboration is another milestone in the journey of excellence for Radio City.”

     

     

  • Video City allows listeners to watch Radio City 91.1FM content and catch live action from the studio on-the-go and on a device of their choice

    Radio City’s Video City takes off

     

     

    Radio City 91.1FM announced the beta launch of India’s first video FM, Video City – a platform that allows listeners to consume FM in a video format.

     

    Commenting on the launch of Video City, Abraham Thomas, CEO, Radio City said:“Keeping in mind the changing consumer preferences of consuming surround programming, Radio City’s Video City will offer the viewers a compelling and visually appealing FM experience like never before along with a sneak peek of RJ’s , celebrity visits , Bollywood gossips and trivia.  Video City reinforces our commitment to be at the forefront of innovation in the radio industry.We believe that this will help us seamlessly integrate radio into the digital era. Starting with Mumbai, we plan to take this initiative to other cities as well.”

     

     

  • The launch of radiocity.in Hindi is aligned with this strategy of diversification and localization by offering its digital platform for their regional audience

    Radio City launches Radiocity.in in Hindi

     

     

    Radio City has announced the launch of its web platform radiocity.in Hindi, becoming the first and only radio network in India to offer an exclusive Hindi website. Radio City was the first radio network In India to take the digital route with the launch of radiocity.in.

     

    Said Abraham ‘Abe’ Thomas, CEO, Radio City: “Regional language internet users have been growing at a much faster pace than English with 38 per cent of the total Indian internet user base expected to comprise of Hindi users by 2021. Organic engagement for local content is comparatively higher and we want to tap into this potential while providing our regional users the ease and accessibility to content in Hindi.”

     

    Commenting on the launch of the regional platform, Rachna Kanwar, COO, Digital, Jagran New Media said: “As we expand into more cities and genres this year, the first logical extension online will be to make our content available to listeners in their preferred language. As a large chunk of our audio content is in Hindi, it only follows that we make this option available to listeners who consume content in Hindi. This is a first of its kind initiative towards language personalization by any FM network in the country and we hope to further diversify into multi-lingual offerings in the future.”

     

     

  • Radio City will curate playlists that reflect six distinct themes, giving music fans an opportunity to enjoy music that resonates with their personal tastes

    Radio City to offer curated playlists on Apple Music

    By A Correspondent

     

    Radio City 91.1FM has tied up with Apple Music offer thematic playlists to the latter’s users. Radio City will curate playlists that reflect six distinct themes, giving music fans an opportunity to enjoy music that resonates with their personal tastes.

     

    Said Abraham Thomas, CEO, Radio City 91.1 FM: “We are known for our well-researched and mood-mapped music. Curating playlists on Apple’s platform will help us utilise these strengths to offer our listeners content that enhances their music experience. Furthermore, the availability of our playlists on Apple Music will make it easier for our listeners to enjoy quality music on a device of their choosing, at a time and place of their convenience.”

     

    Said Rachna Kanwar, COO, Digital, Jagran New Media: “Radio City’s tie-up with Apple Music will add tremendously to our mobile-first approach. Our highly curated playlists will be the first of its kind by any Indian radio network on Apple Music. Digital audiences will be able to discover, first hand and on a highly engaging platform like Apple Music the results of our complex research analytics. Radio City’s analytics engine blends years of consumer preferences, helping us deliver the most enjoyable and relevant music experience to have ever been offered by an Indian radio network.”

     

  • In its first leg, Radio City Cine Awards 2017 Tamil is all set to applaud the artists and technicians from the Tamil Film industry

    Radio City Cine Awards 2017 to recognise achievers from Kollywood

    By A Correspondent

     

    Radio City 91.1FM has announced the Radio City Cine Awards, its first ever award initiative to felicitate regional film fraternity in the country. Radio City Cine Awards 2017 Tamilwill allow listeners to cast their vote and support for their favourite Tamil stars of the Kollywood industry.

     

    Said Abraham Thomas, CEO, Radio City 91.1FM: “Radio City Cine Awards is one such initiative that helps to strengthen our city connect between listeners and their favourite celebrity. Very few award platforms aim to empower the consumer and recognize talent based on public opinion. Post the success of Radio City Cine Awards 2017 Tamil; we will soon launch this initiative for our Kannada, Telugu, Marathi Gujrati, Bhojpuri and other audience.”

     

    Voting for nomination starts from today (July 24).

     

  • Adjudged to be the best in the media industry yet again

    Music Broadcast Ltd continues to be one of ‘India’s Best Companies to Work’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Music Broadcast Ltd, the parent company of Radio City 91.1FM, has emerged as a leader in the ‘India’s Best Companies To Work For – 2017’ study. Radio City has had a consistent presence in the list and the inclusion of Music Broadcast Ltd., has earned the radio network the coveted position for the sixth year. The list places Music Broadcast Ltd. amongst the Top 3 media firms and Top 50 companies overall in India. Conducted by Great Place To Work Institute, the study measures employee experience and evaluates the people practices of participating organisations to arrive at the final list of companies.

     

    Said Abraham Thomas, CEO, Radio City 91.1 FM:“We are honoured to receive this recognition for the sixth time. Radio City has been known for its work culture that seeks to empower and encourage employees to realize their full potential and work towards achieving their goals. It is a perfect blend of culture and process orientation that has helped Radio City retain its leadership position year after year. Our people are our biggest strength and we are happy that our employees value us, as much as we value them.”

     

    Added Sagorika Kantharia, Chief People Officer, Radio City 91.1 FM: “We are extremely proud to be listed amongst ‘India’s Best Companies To Work For’ once again. Our culture and value system allows our employees to innovate, grow and become leaders in their own right. Initiatives such as ‘Cheers to Peers’, Ring Aloud and Star and Sher of the month help us promote the spirit of unity while at the same time recognizing individuals for their extraordinary work.”

     

  • 43 web radio stations, 8 languages, 2700 + podcasts on Radiocity.in

    Radio City expands digital offering in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Radio City has announced a strategic expansion of its digital presence with radiocity.in. As a part of its digital strategy, listeners will be able to enjoy select terrestrial shows, along with exclusive digital content on Radio City’s web avatar. RadioCity.in will see best of terrestrial and web radio shows and will serve as the e-face of Radio City’s 39 stations.

     

    Said Rachna Kanwar, COO, Digital, Jagran New Media (Radio City is part of the Jagran group): “radiocity.in will be an integral part of our mobile-first approach. It will allow our listeners to listen to their favourite terrestrial content, in addition to the 43 web-exclusive stations, right on their digital devices, wherever they want, whenever they want. Our new digital strategy will also see us adding more content, across languages to our existing digital bounty, in order to make the platform more relevant to listeners across different geographies. This will truly allow us to cover the kona kona of the country.”

     

    Added Abraham Thomas, CEO, Radio City 91.1 FM: “At Radio City we have always believed in creating clutter breaking content across platforms for our listeners globally. RadioCity.in solidifies our position as the forerunner in the digital space while helping us retain us the numero uno spot across social media platforms. We are happy to provide our listeners with an all new digital experience which is a perfect blend of entertaining music and engaging content.”.