MxMIndia

Tag: Adil Zainulbhai

  • Jyoti Deshpande appointed as CEO of Viacom18

    Jyoti Deshpande
    Jyoti Deshpande

    By Our Staff

    Viacom18 has announced that Jyoti Deshpande has been appointed as CEO of Viacom18 with immediate effect.

    Deshpande is already serving on the boards of Network18 and investee companies Balaji Telefilms and Saavn Media. In her new assignment, she will help bring synergies across all of Reliance’s media interests and investments and further equip the company to drive significant growth opportunities as the industry embraces digital transformation.

    Deshpande  brings 27-plus years of experience in the media and entertainment business. She joined Reliance Industries in 2018 as President – Media Platform & Content, after having successfully built a leading media company and pioneered its early disruptive entry into the OTT space. As a business leader in Reliance, Jyoti has in the last three years leveraged her industry relationships to establish Jio Studios as a key player in the media value chain.

    Welcoming Deshpande, Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman, Network18 said: “Viacom18 is poised to grow as a truly integrated media company across broadcast, OTT and content studio business spanning general entertainment, movies and sports across languages. Given Jyoti’s rich experience in the media sector around content, distribution and monetisation across traditional and emerging platforms, we believe she is best placed to lead the company and its operations.”

  • Will be in charge of acquisition, broadcasting and monetisation of sports properties

    Viacom18 appoints Anil Jayaraj as CEO-Sports

    By Our Staff

     

    Anil Jayaraj
    Anil Jayaraj

    Viacom18 has formally announced the appointment of Anil Jayaraj as CEO – Sports. He will be leading the network’s foray into acquisition, broadcasting and monetisation of sports properties.

     

    Welcoming Jayaraj, Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman, Network18 said: “As a leading media and entertainment network in India, Viacom18 has been dialling up its offerings to tap into whitespaces across platforms. We believe that sports is an important category in our promise to deliver wholesome entertainment to our 800mn+ viewers across demographics and geographies. With his rich experience in identifying and building sporting events into high value ‘sportainment’ phenomena, Anil is aptly poised to lead our newest sports vertical.”

     

    Speaking on his appointment, Jayaraj said: “Sporting events in India have evolved beyond just one or two games with increasing fandom amongst audiences towards newer competitive sports. This democratisation has created an unmatched opportunity for ‘sportainment’ and I am excited to build Viacom18 network’s foray into sports as a category.”

     

  • Vats will be serving till tomorrow, April 15, 2020.

    From yesterday: Sudhanshu Vats resigns as Group CEO & MD. Rahul Joshi to take charge

    By A Correspondent

     

     

    Sudhanshu Vats
    Rahul Joshi

    Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO and MD of Viacom18, has decided to move on from Viacom18 after eight years at the helm. In his tenure, the network grew from a six-channels to a 54-channel one,, with a strong regional and digital presence. Rahul Joshi, Managing Director of the Network18 group of which Viacom18 is a subsidiary, will take charge. The leadership team will will continue to manage their respective verticals under Joshi’s leadership. Vats will be serving till tomorrow, April 15, 2020.

     

    Speaking on the development, Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman of the Board, Network18 said, “Sudhanshu is a dynamic and admired leader in corporate India today. Not only has he led from the front in shaping up Viacom18’s growth story, he has also championed the cause of the sector at the various industry bodies that he has captained. While we are sad to lose him, it is equally reassuring to know that we have a strong second line that’s raring to go. I’d like to wish Sudhanshu all the very best for his future endeavours.”

     

    Added Vats: Speaking about his journey at Viacom18, Sudhanshu Vats said, “It has been an extremely challenging and satisfying 8 years at the helm of Viacom18. I have had the privilege of working with some of the best minds in M&E industry to chart the growth story of Viacom18. We have together built one of the most admired media company of brilliant storytellers with diversified presence across screens and platforms. As I look forward to taking up newer challenges, I shall always cherish the learnings in leading India’s youngest and fastest-growing media and entertainment company.”

     

    According to sources, Zainubhai wrote a mail to Viacom18 employees in the evening after which the media was informed. “Sudhanshu has built a distinct culture at Viacom18 – one that marries creativity to structure and forments a strong sense of employer brand affinity. This is evinced by the long service records of many of our employees as well as through the growth of our leaders.”

  • Rahul Joshi has been appointed as Managing Director of Network18 and TV18 and Sudhanshu Vats has been appointed as Managing Director of Viacom18. July 9, 2018

    Rahul Joshi & Sudhanshu Vats appointed MDs

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sudhanshu Vats

    The Board of Directors of Network18 Media & Investments Limited (Network18) has appointed Rahul Joshi as Managing Director of the Company for a term of three years with effect from July 9, 2018. Joshi has been associated with Network18 Group since September 2015 and is CEO – News & Group Editor in Chief. And The Board of Viacom18 Media Private Limited (Viacom18), the entertainment broadcasting arm of Network18, has decided to appoint Sudhanshu Vats as its Managing Director on receipt of necessary regulatory approvals. Vats has associated with Viacom18 from last six years and is the Group CEO of Viacom18.

     

    Said Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman of Network18 and TV18 on the appointments: “Both the appointees have tremendous skill and experience and will continue to drive our news and entertainment businesses towards leadership, as we continue to invest in these areas.”

     

     

  • The 1% stake buy indicates a USD 2 bn valuation for the Reliance-owned TV18 and Viacom joint venture

    So what does the Reliance controlling stake mean for Viacom18?

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    It was sure to happen. Reliance Industries is a serious player and investor in the TMT ecosystem, and more importantly, anything that fuels its telecom business.

     

    When it first chose to invest in Network18 in 2012, it had indicated that the investments in media would eventually help in building the content pipeline. There were many reservations expressed when the Mukesh Ambani-run Reliance Industries took complete charge of the news business of Network18 (and Television18) in July 2014. The reservations then may have been with reason given the fear that big business-controlled news business will bring in its own commercial and political interests into play. However, as has been seen, all these were proved incorrect. Editorially, the news offerings are objective, and decidedly a lot more than some of the rightwing channels.

     

    A CNN-IBN may have opted out of getting a bigname news anchor, but that has actually worked in its favour. Rahul Joshi as CEO of the news business and group editor-in-chief has elevated the overall standards. And from what we learn, there is an overall delight with the big(g) bosses at Reliance Industries headquarters.

     

    In fact it’s the pace with which Reliance work could significantly help Viacom18 change gears, say industry observers.

     

    There is also delight over the Viacom18 valuation of USD 2 billion. This was determined by the one percent stake buy by the Reliance Industries-owned TV18 at the value of USD 20 million or around Rs 127 crore. The transaction is likely to be completed in a month.

     

    Until the announcement happened, both Viacom and TV18 had an equal 50 per cent equity in the joint venture. Viacom18 started out with three channels and it has grown into a 44-channel multiple platform business including films, merchandise and live entertainment.

     

    Meanwhile, the brand and content licence between Viacom and TV18 has been extended by another decade which will ensure the continuance of channels like MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central etc in the fold. Viacom18 has reported total revenues of Rs 30,407 million in financial year 2016-17, charting a 40x-plus growth in topline since inception.

     

    This is what key captains of the Network18, Viacom and Viacom18 said in a communique:

    Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman – Network18: “The transaction further enables our vision for Viacom18 to accentuate its focus on excellence and integration in the broadcast and digital space. The entertainment powerhouse continues to be bolstered by Viacom’s global expertise in content creation and curation, along with Network18 group and affiliates’ strength across the media & telecom value-chain”

     

    David Lynn, CEO – Viacom International Media Networks: “Viacom 18 is one of the fastest growing companies in India’s dynamic media and technology sector and, as a result of this transaction, we believe it will be even better-positioned for accelerated growth through closer integration and alignment with the Network 18 Group and its affiliates, including India’s fastest growing mobile network, Jio. Viacom remains strongly committed to our Viacom 18 joint venture with the Network 18 Group and we are retaining the vast majority of our ownership stake in the company. We’re delighted to extend our licensing deal with Viacom 18 and see clear potential to expand it in live events and recreation, in line with our growing global presence in these lines of business.”

     

    Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO – Viacom18: “We turned 10 last year and our growth journey has been exciting to say the least. None of this would have been possible without the support and commitment of both our partners. This development will allow us to leverage deeper synergies with Jio as we enter our next growth phase. As India’s youngest full-play media organization, we remain committed to winning the hearts of our audiences across all our on-air, on-line, in-store, in-theatre and on-ground businesses- and enriching the digital life of every Indian.”

    The key factor in the development is doubtlessly TV18 taking operational control of Viacom18. Given Reliance Jio and a significant interest in the growing the media and entertainment landscape, it is expected that there will be greater synergies. Also, given the larger interests of Relaince Industries in sports, an entry into sports broadcast is not totally ruled out. Beyond the current baby steps that the group is taking with the tri-nation Nidahas Trophy next month.

     

    What remains to be seen is how the plans for Voot play out, given that Jio has its own platform plus there’s Alt-Balaji.

     

     

  • News channel CNN-IBN undertook a significant refresh and renamed its television and digital platform. Does it work? We asked three discerning professionals for their views

    CNN-News18: Will the change be gamechanging?

    By Anuka Roy

     

    What’s in a name? This famous quote by Shakespeare may or may not hold true for media organisations. On April 19, the Network 18 group rechristened its English news channel CNN-IBN to CNN-News 18. The new name and logo was revealed from 8 pm onwards.

     

    A new tagline- On Your Side- along with a revamped studio was also revealed as part of the re-branding exercise. IBNLive.com will now be called News18.com. Prime Time 2.0, a new show, will be telecast between 8 and 11 pm; comprising of on-ground reporting, opinions, debates and humour-laden content. In the press release, they said that, the focus will be on “making news more relevant to its viewers by bringing immersive journalism to the fore.

     

    Said Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman, Network18: “A decade back, CNN-IBN re-invented news by getting to its viewers the benefits of a reputed international news partner CNN, and eventually emerging as the most awarded English general news channel. We are optimistic about bringing this change wherein we will keep the journalist and the consumer at the centre of our programming, which is the critical need of the hour,”

     

    So, will this re-branding excercise work? What do people have to say about it? MxMInida asked a cross-section of experts about the same and here is what they had to say,

     

    > Old wine in new bottle? Do you think the change is cosmetic? Because the people are the same, and it’s just a slicker, newer version?

    Avik Chattopadhyay, a senior marketing and brand consultant (AC): I actually watched the channel for an hour. There seems to be some new programming, like “Big 5 @ 10”. The colour palette seems new. But it is early to conclude whether it is purely cosmetic or is the channel making the most of the change in name to have a substantial change. to set it aside from others and truly distinct.

     

    Vikas Mehta, formerly CEO, Lowe Lintas, Dubai, currently blogger and consultant (VM): My take is simple. The media brand is CNN, which has a bigger brand equity. To me it doesn’t make much of a difference.

     

    Sushobhan Patankar, professor at Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication and former employee of Network 18 (SP): As far as I’m concerned, it’s kind of sad for me. I’ve been associated with CNN-IBN since its launch in 2005. The brand had slipped since Rajdeep Sardesai’s exit. It is difficult to predict.

     

    > CNN-IBN has been a household name for around a decade. Do you think the rebranding will mean that it will take the channel some time to become a household name? Headlines Today did change to India Today, but India Today was a known media brand….

    AC: Guess the change in name is not that significant to create a total disconnect from its previous avatar. It is an evolutionary rebranding… not a revolutionary one. As long as the “CNN” name remains, the viewer will be able to connect. If it were called “Newswork 18” or something as drastic, it would have been another matter.

     

    VM: I don’t have research to back up ,when I’m watching CNN-IBN, I would say I’m watching a CNN channel. But for the consumer to realise it would take sometime… but it doesn’t matter much

     

    SP: When ABP acquired Star News, the channel was known for its faces. I feel faces are bigger than brands. Brand change doesn’t matter. Brands are not important but faces are.

     

    > CNN-IBN is today far from being the leader on the ratings roster. Do you think the new look and thrust will help build it?

    AC: It is all about content, content and content. They have some big names like Swapan Dasgupta, Vir Sanghvi and Bhupendra Chaubey. Now they need to create the right relevance with the target viewer they want to reach out to. It cannot be the same as one who watches Times Now or India Today or…

     

    VM: That’s true. I don’t.know the actual reason why they have done the rebranding . May be they are trying to refurbish the brand. It’s handled right in terms of raising interest that something new is happening in the channel. When Star News changed to ABP news, they handled it quite well. The viewership didn’t suffer because they kept the curiosity factor high. It’s kind of a lot has changed but nothing has changed at all. It means it has to better than what it was and needs to be better perceived than what it was. If the change is cosmetic, it won’t make a difference but if the content has changed dramatically in terms of stories, anchors, then definitely it would make a difference.

     

    SP: I don’t know what their editorial plan is. If they create new content and follow a new model, it might work but if they stick to the old model it may not.

     

    > Your view on whether the masses are indeed interested in news without an agenda… or do they like the noise at primetime?

     

    AC: Not everyone wants to ‘view’ noise. There is definitely a substantial segment that looks for quality and credible content. And there can be no news without an agenda…even if it is “100% unbiased truth”…this is also a credible agenda, possibly the most difficult to achieve and deliver over time. There are news platforms that have painstakingly built their reputation on agendas that people actually appreciate and value. CNN News 18 needs to define and deliver the same for itself. Give it time…

     

    VM: I don’t know what you mean by masses. This is a niche channel. It is aimed at higher SECs. This is my personal view, I don’t have a research to back it, a lot of consumers want to see the reality. But a lot of channels are giving a twist of their own. For me, the masses are looking for channels without a biased point of view. They want to judge for themselves.

     

    SP: There should be an element of spectacle. There needs to be drama to engage the audience. The audience wants something chatpata. So yes, people are more interested in primetime drama.

     

  • Earlier this year – in end-June to be precise, the two broadcasters had announced their decision to part ways with effect from January 2016. There were very active rumours of CNN inking a tie-up with Zee Media Corporation Limited.

    CNN, IBN/TV18 bhai-bhai, again!

    By A Correspondent

     

    TV18 and CNN International have announced the extension of their collaboration on CNN-IBN. Earlier this year – in end-June to be precise, the two broadcasters had announced their decision to part ways with effect from January 2016. There were very active rumours of CNN inking a tie-up with Zee Media Corporation Limited. In fact, soon after this development, Zee even announced the English news channel and appointed an Editor-in-Chief. While Zee Media never confirmed the possibility of a tie-up with CNN, according to sources talks were on at an advanced stage.

     

    The fact remains that by using the CNN prefixing the channel, IBN gained much credibility in the early days to ward off competition from NDTV,  in later years, other than the name of the channel, IBN really hasn’t gained much from the alliance. Save the children’s entertainment genre, the Turner/CNN network has had a mixed record in India.

     

    Announcing the extension, Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman, Network18 said, “We are delighted to announce the renewal of this extremely cherished partnership between two most respected brands in journalism. In this second term of our collaboration, we aim to present a brand new CNN-IBN that will bring news with even greater speed, accuracy, clarity and credibility and keep the viewers tuned in to the latest news and developments much ahead of others. We also intend to cut through the noise and clutter that is currently present in the Indian television news space and offer best practices of journalism that will lead to better understanding of issues. The channel will organize meaningful debates and raise issues that touch the lives of our viewers. With this renewed partnership, we will enhance the process of newsgathering and delivery to our viewers in an informative and enlightening manner.”

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Rani Raad, Chief Commercial Officer, CNN International, said, “We are really excited about the future of CNN-IBN and together with the new management at TV18, are going to build upon the success we have already achieved. I look forward to the brand continuing its lead in the dynamic Indian news industry and am delighted that CNN IBN is staying in our family of CNN-branded channels around the world that include CNN Turk, CNN Chile, CNN Philippines, CNN Indonesia and CNN Greece.”

     

  • Chairman Adil Zainulbhai is confident Parigi will take the media conglomerate to the next level

    AP Parigi to be Network18 Group CEO

    By A Correspondent

     

    Network18 has announced the appointment of veteran media person AP Parigi as Group CEO. Mr Parigi will join the organisation on January 29, 2015. He will be based in Mumbai.

     

    With over four decades of experience spanning sectors including infrastructure, telecommunications, media and entertainment,  Mr Parigi serves an an Independent Director, Times Global Broadcasting Ltd and  Zoom Entertainment Network Limited.

     

    “Mr Parigi has built a raft of customer – facing brands, technologies, businesses and management teams. His wisdom and leadership is sure to take N18 to the next level,” said Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman Network18.

     

    “I look forward to mentor and lead what is perhaps the most talented group of professionals in the Indian media landscape. Network18 is fortunate to have the world’s leading media brands as partners and I am keen to enhance each of these valuable relationships,” said Mr Parigi.

     

    An alumnus of the Delhi School of Economics and the Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi, Mr Parigi was Managing Director & CEO of ENIL, the holding company of Radio Mirchi.  Besides being a Director of Times Infotainment Media Limited, Mr Parigi was Executive Vice Chairman of Times Innovative Media Limited (Times Out of Home).

     

    Additionally, he looked at the Times group’s businesses in the internet space, specifically related to Times Internet Ltd and Times Business Solutions Ltd.

     

    Prior to joining the Times Group, he was the Chief Executive Officer of BPL Mobile Communications, Mumbai, a Joint Venture of BPL with France Telecom.

     

    After his Times stint, Mr Parigi was Managing Director & Group CEO of Eros Media International Ltd (India) and post that he he served as advisor to New Enterprise Associates (NEA), India, an affliate of NEA,USA, a $13 billion venture/equity enterprise. Mr Parigi is also on the Business Advisory Council of Said Business School, University of Oxford.

     

  • HDFC chairman Deepak S Parekh and McKinsey senior adviser Adil Zainulbhai inducted as Independent Directors while Raghav Bahl will be on the Board as a Non-executive Director

    Reliance Industries completes acquisition of Network18

    By A Correspondent

     

    HDFC chairman Deepak S Parekh and McKinsey senior adviser Adil Zainulbhai have been inducted as Independent Directors on the board of NW18. Meanwhile, RIL also informed that Raghav Bahl will continue to be on the Board of NW18 as a Non-executive Director

     

    Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) announced on Monday (July 7) that Independent Media Trust (IMT) of which RIL is the sole beneficiary, has completed the acquisition of control of Network 18 Media and Investments Limited (NW18) including its subsidiary TV18 Broadcast Limited (TV18).

     

    Apart from nominees of IMT, HDFC chairman Deepak S Parekh and McKinsey senior adviser Adil Zainulbhai have been inducted as Independent Directors on the board of NW18. Meanwhile, RIL also informed that Raghav Bahl will continue to be on the Board of NW18 as a Non-executive Director.

     

    With the completion of this transaction, IMT and RIL have become promoters of NW18 and TV18. The open offers to the public shareholders for acquisition of equity shares of NW18, TV18 and Infomedia Press Ltd. as announced on May 29, 2014 by IMT are in process and the Draft letter of offer has been filed with SEBI for its comments.