MxMIndia

Tag: Dainik Bhaskar Group

  • Namjoshi has been with the organisation since 2007 – first as Station Head – Ahmedabad and later as National Head – Corporate Sales

    Rahul Namjoshi is COO, My FM

    By A Correspondent

     

    We missed this news last week. My FM, the wing of the Dainik Bhaskar group, has elevated Rahul J Namjoshi as its Chief Operating Officer (COO). Namjoshi has been with the organisation since 2007 – first as Station Head – Ahmedabad and later as National Head – Corporate Sales.

     

    Said Pawan Agarwal, Deputy Managing Director, Dainik Bhaskar Group on the appointment: “Rahul has been associated with us since 2007 and under his guidance, My FM has achieved many milestones. As a Business Head, he has played a pivotal role in driving growth. We are confident that he will continue to lead the organization on its journey through the steady growth path”

     

    On his elevation, Namjoshi said: “I am delighted by the faith the company has shown in me and look forward to further strengthen its brand position in retail and corporate markets. Will try to use my experience in the industry to help contributing to the growth story of the brand and reach to higher scales in this challenging phase”

     

     

  • May be a bit late, but the Empire is trying to hit back with a simple communication, notes Sanjeev Kotnala

    ‘Print Is Proof’ needs wider collective commitment

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Sanjeev Kotnala

    The coming together print publishers is a rare celestial aberration. However, this is not the first time when some of the largest print houses have got together. We know when they collectively questioned the IRS and hence MRUC some years back. Even at that time, people viewed it as a disturbing disruption, but it led to something good, a better more robust IRS.

    In the current era of the voyeuristic audience with limited attention, video-led consumption, social platform-based news sharing necessitating instant gratification, the print is unfairly being treated as a media that has lost its sheen.

    May be a bit late, but the Empire is trying to hit back with a simple communication celebrating Print in its regality.

    A few weeks back, major print players – Dainik Bhaskar Group,  The Hindu Group, Hindustan Times, The Times of India, released their campaign on owned media. Full-page advertisements shoutig ‘Print is Proof’.

    It will be great if the HT campaign ‘Print is the Answer’ or another such campaign can get teeth by print coming together in a heightened B2B initiative.

    There is no doubt that print is still the most credible media by a margin. The barrage of fake news and the impulsive sharing of it is something everyone has experienced. I hope that many other print houses bury their hatchet and believe in each other’s intent to join the movement. Even if it may just be doing a post-purchase dissonance correction among the loyalists…

    Print proposes and wants the audience to believe that in the fastest-finger-first digital media, tracing the origin of news is a tough proposition. And that only in print the story before it is printed and delivered to you goes through multiple filters and crosschecks.  Unfortunately, the argument is not without holes. And the current generation does not believe the statement print makes: “If we don’t have the facts, we don’t print the news. It’s that simple. For us, the starting point of any story is verification”. Or ‘if a digital story doesn’t check out, it can always be deleted’.

    In its current avatar, the new generation feels that print is also as much about sensation, colouring, tinting and or manipulation of news. In the polarised and pressurised ecosystem prevalent in the country, it is foolish to believe that ‘No one edits the editor’. However, a large part of the audience from the print dominant era still believes ‘What’s Printed Is True’.

    India is one of the few countries where print still holds its position and continues to grow in circulation.

    I would be personally thrilled if the print houses can come together and do a collective correction in cover pricing. It’s much needed. In my view, it will still deliver a better financial position, even if the fringe readers drop out. Print needs it.

    Whatever may be their reasons to join the initiative, it needs to continue its momentum. More groups need to join in and help sustain the campaign and widen its reach through multimedia exposure funded by a collective kitty. Being in print alone is not the answer.

    Some other print advantages are capabilities to keep the story alive till its natural conclusion, share-and re-share the ground facts and developments, address individual sub-segment differentially and place advertisements contextually. But, just ‘Print is Proof’ may be a weak war cry that can lose steam fast.

    ……………………………………

    DISCLAIMER: I must confess I have not been able to check if the campaign has a digital, TV and or an outdoor avatar. It will be great if it exists and or the collective takes the initiative in this direction.

  • Up, close and personal with the veteran media professional. Coincidentally a day before the launch of Republic Bharat

    Dharma. Karma. And all things spiritual with Bhaskar Das

     

    It’s a day before the launch of Republic TV’s bold Hindi news channel. This interview with Dr Bhaskar Das, former Times of India group President, Group CEO of Zee Media, Executive President of the Dainik Bhaskar group and now Group President of Republic though was taken a week earlier. Read on for an engaging chat Dr Das had with Pradyuman Maheshwari. Enjoy.

     

    There are many who are upset that Dr Bhaskar Das is not giving them a chance to blossom in their career. At age 65, you’ve occupied some of the most coveted jobs in the Indian media. Group President of Republic and earlier also Executive President of the Dainik Bhaskar group. Plus you hold a few other senior positions in academics. So what is the secret behind Bhaskar Das’s energy?

    Nothing happens as per one’s plan. We underestimate the role of god and luck. I think it has worked in my favour. And, yes, I have passion for work. I don’t think I am coming in anyone’s way because I complement the core capability of the organisation, any organisation. So, from that point of view, the impressions are misplaced. It is not that people hire an individual. They hire aggregated capabilities. I think I have always tried to upgrade myself, reskill myself and upskill myself. So, when one goes through that journey, and because I love academics, even if demographically I may not be very shining, cognitively and affectively, I have been able to surmount that obstacle.

    Sir, words like cognitive go above my head.

    The objective is not to use jargon to make it incomprehensible… but it is important that you cannot fight demographic obsolescence, corporate obsolescence, sectoral obsolescence. Only thing you can fight is cognitive obsolescence, and affective which is to do with knowledge, skill and emotion. And one needs to understand that if you do not take charge of both of them, one can’t contribute. So, in this part of my journey, my interest is more in terms of serving others, contributing and not for getting up on the stage. I am more a cheerleader for people and make others successful. There is no desire to make myself successful.

    Which existed I guess when you were at Times?

    The fundamental thing is that I cannot change my DNA. That was in my DNA. But, both in terms of designation, salary, everything used to get matched up. Today, I don’t aspire for anything. I just want to, like a traveller, be interested in the journey… quality of roads…

    Is it because you have been there, done that, had the best of everything and now…

    It is not so. You must know that everything has a time, like I can’t aspire now to be a 16- or 30-year-old.

    But you are as colourful as a young adult.

    That’s in the eyes of the people, I think. Colourfulness is in the minds. It need not actually, explicitly, be there. I don’t think I am colourful at all. What is there is that: if you enjoy your existence, nothing matters. So, I love fun and especially when I work, I don’t even feel I am working. I always believe that if you love your work, you don’t have to work at all.

    After Times, you joined the Zee group and you had the longest stint that a professional CEO has had in the Zee group. And then you were with the Dainik Bhaskar Group, and now you are with Republic. There was some overlap between Dainik Bhaskar and Republic, but now you are full-time at Republic. How did you select these jobs, or how did they just happen?

    After Times of India, I have not chosen anything. I have always been chosen.

    Ufff! It’s difficult to pin you down for a straight answer. Do you think the organisations are hiring you just for your contacts… because you can help open doors? Are you being used, and incorrectly so?

    I never felt like that. What is right or wrong is a very post-facto conclusion, and since I am an affected party, there is a conflict of interest in giving you an answer. But from my end, I never felt…

    Conflict of interest with whom?

    Because on the basis of your question, you are mentioning that have they not treated me well?

    Not a question about not treating you well, but…

    Or they have not utilised me well. How can I answer that question? Because the obvious answer would be: yes, I have been used properly. I personally feel that’s not the question. Every organisation knows what is right for them and whatever task they assign me.

    My question was not about them using you effectively. They have used you effectively, but they are employing your skills only because of what you bring to the table. You help open doors…

    That is true for everyone, isn’t it? It is always true for everyone. In any recruitment or any job, there is a huge element of narcissism. And I have never had that problem. I personally feel that every job is an opportunity to learn and also to serve. I am hugely interested in learning and contributing.

    As they say, success is a bastard and failure is an orphan. I have never tried to take credit for anything. I think everything happens because of the collective wisdom, collective effort. And in every organisation, people have different opinions. But I have had consistent opinion of all the organisations that I have worked because I found them to be a huge place for learning.

    According to you, which has been your best place of learning so far? Times of India?

    Times of India has been my school, kindergarten, school, college, university, everything…

    Which part of your education – kindergarten, school, university was the best?

    Kindergarten gives you a solid foundation. If you look at it, at a fundamental level, you learn very few things after kindergarten. But if you are a keen observer, a learner, your learning concept could change. In a sense that, it has become very fluid. It is no longer crystallised. It is not there in the books. The more you work, the more you get immersed in the job, you learn new things. And today, the sources of learning have changed tremendously. I learn today from a kid in twenties, because they are millennials, post-millennials, Generation Z. So you can learn… from books and academics. Another learning happens through observation.

    The criticality is that from the various sources of learning that you get, how do you connect for a cross-category wisdom? I think because of experience now and exposure into various formats of delivery, so one of the examples that I am giving, in various interactions with the advertisers and my colleagues, I always say: I don’t suffer from any format myopia, or language myopia or genre myopia. I am a market. So, whatever it is, I have always sold markets. Markets, both in geographic term and in psychographic term.

    But is it not about the medium?

    It is not about TV, newspaper print. For me it’s the same, seamless thing, that I understand consumer, I understand commerce. That’s it.

    But the fact of the matter is that marketing for television is dramatically different from marketing for print…

    I don’t agree, I don’t agree. It is the execution, it is the detailing that may be different, but at the fundamental level, and I can argue till the cows come home, they are the same. You go to any other industry, our industry is different, print industry is different, every industry is different. Big deal!

    When you joined Zee, there were some naysayers saying that Bhaskar Das is the king of print but will his magic work in television? What you are now telling me is that it is not right to say that sales for print is very different from sales for television

    Yes, I don’t believe so. What you are saying is true, people may have said. But these are typical insecurities of legacy custodian mindset. Ultimately, a consumer is platform-agnostic. Advertising has become platform-agnostic.

    Theodore Levitt spoke about Marketing Myopia, I am seeing a new Theodore Levitt in myopia of silo-ing media

    As you look back, how was your stint at Zee?

    Bhaskar Das: Every stint of mine…

    I am not going to let you go spiritual once again. If you were to give BCCL a 10 on 10, what would you give your score for your stint at Zee?

    To my mind, this is a misplaced question. It is like comparing apples and oranges. Are you different from when you are, say, 16 and now when you are in 50s, for instance. It is such an unfair question. Each one of them have contributed in expanding my vista of knowledge. So how can I compare them?

    You are ducking the question.

    You may be thinking it that way, but I am stating the fact.

    Okay, tell me, satisfaction-wise. Since we know you are a spiritual person,  satisfaction-wise if BCCL was 10 on 10, how was…

    I am telling you how your question is flawed. On the one hand, you are saying I am spiritual and for a spiritual man, satisfaction is not outside, it is inside.

    So how was it on the inside?

    It is seamless, it is consistent, because I am guided by the principle that I am the cause of everything that I experience.

    Moving on, some people said that you could have turned around DNA as a newspaper, the newspaper that you helped kill because when you were at Times you made difficult for it to grow. You were the one person who could have done something with it.

    I tried my best. There are some sectoral peculiarities for which the turning around is bound to take some time and the market leader’s practices can really prohibit a revival strategy. But, under the circumstances, I think I did well.

    Do you think the paper has a future?

    Some of your questions are legacy mindset questions.

    Sir, I am a legacy mindset person, unfortunately…

    Because how do you predict future? They say that the future has been unpredictable

    You are so good at not giving straight answers

    It is not so. At a philosophical level, do you think it has a future? Who has a future? That bikini-clad mountaineer who died. She also thought she has a future. So the future happens on what you are doing in the present. I have a feeling that if the present is handled appropriately, any brand will have a future…

    Interesting point.

    Listen to me: it is an important point. It is all about a business model. It depends how it is being managed for a brand, and because print has this pecking order business where the newcomer takes time for really turning around. So the gestation period can be long. That does not mean that it has no future. Your optimism quotient needs to be high and of course the effort levels.

    Are you unhappy with the way Mumbai Mirror is doing? It was flying high, somehow it has lost the edge?

    I have never driven a car looking at the rear view mirror…

    Gosh, you find everything hunky-dory.  

    One is that. Second is that I don’t have a context.

    Have you never driven a car looking at the rear view mirror? While driving one must look at the rear view mirror, right?

    You see that’s why windscreen is bigger compared to rear view mirror. It looks closer than what they really are. So, rear view, you see that no one comes and knocks you out. That’s your protective shield. But that does not mean that my judgment is dependent on that. Because once I leave a place, I don’t meditate on the past. So if, but… why bother?

    It was an interesting decision for you to join Dainik Bhaskar. Must have been a different experience altogether because you worked a print master who lives in a certain way. In the regional publication space, the owners look at things differently.

    Yes, Dainik Bhaskar has been a very distinctive experience, because it had language. Second it is the #1 in the country, both in terms of readership and circulation terms, but the aggression is something which we have to learn. The aggression and the leadership that the shareholders have is unbelievable.

    No professional has stayed on for too long as CEO at Dainik Bhaskar.

    Because everyone cannot survive the heat of the kitchen. When you are the market challenger, you need to be able to take the war into the…

    Dainik Bhaskar is a leader but is always playing the role of a challenger.

    Yes, which is very good. Because people who become leaders don’t get complacent. They have to maintain the challenger’s role that requires a different level of agility, adaptability and adaptability. And I have a feeling that I don’t have the statistics on what has been the longevity of each CEO and if there is any pattern. But if people treat safety zone to also be a comfort zone, things can work. No one can say in a deterministic manner that it is a bad place to stay because if it happens, why just for the organisation, also for the employees concerned. And the contexts are very different. We know that even Virat Kohli also gets out at zero sometimes that doesn’t mean that he is a bad cricket player. I am not going to blame the pitch also. But it is that day how he plays.

    Who is Virat Kohli here? The owners or…

    The employees. You cannot brand someone who could not take the heat of the kitchen a bad player. What happens that I find everything is T20. Life is about T20. Either you can handle the pressure or get out. It has nothing to do with the format of the game. And today, if you take every organisation job, it is another format of the game. Fundamentally, it is T20.

    Tell me, you also took on the Republic assignment when you were with Bhaskar. So, in a sense, you were two-timing?

    That was with full consent. For me the current journey is about continuously upgrading your skills. And there was no conflict of interest, because the access point is at the generic level. Format-wise one was television and the other was print. I am also in academics, so it has teaching. It is more like portfolio career. Usually, people think it is a conflict of interest, but I think they are being myopic. You need a high level of integrity to do all these jobs. It is more by outcome-based delivery than attendance-based delivery.

    Can you manage to be successful in media with integrity?

    It is all individual judgment. One cannot generalise. Without integrity you cannot survive. Like all generalisations, this one is also wrong. There are always exceptions. It doesn’t mean that if people have not survived with integrity, all others have no integrity. I don’t agree with it.

    You really think integrity is very important?

    Yes, in everything. And it today’s context, it’s all the more. Worldwide, there is a crisis of ethics and integrity going on…

    But despite being such a votary for integrity, when you were with BCCL, Medianet happened. In your own thought process, how did that function because Medianet is all about paid content, paid editorial content, packaging it as editorial, and not really tagging it as advertising. That’s surely not integrity?

    See, one must know that what is your area of operation. Okay? Let me give you a spiritual response. You know Lotus? Lotus?

    BJP?

    No, lotus is a flower which blooms in the muck but the same lotus goes to god’s feet. In the metaphor I used, even if you are in a muck that does not mean that lack integrity. So who is to judge that a business model of mutual value creation is ethically corrupting or not. I am not the person to judge because of the fact that may be the principles have been established. It is transparent so it may not be. I have insufficient data points to say that it is upfront to moral integrity or moral turpitude. But I think that people were not used to it…

    Sir, I will have to put links to the dictionary for people to understand the various words you use.

    Which one?

    Turpitude. I know I am not going to get an answer for my last question.

    Life is not about answers. Life is about searching for questions. If you know the answer, rest assured your question is wrong.

    This is an interview for MxMIndia and not for Sadhguru.com. Please give me some down-to-earth responses

    The point is why this duality. They are all seamlessly integrated.

    Sorry to ask you this question, sitting in the office of Republic – but how did Republic happen?

    I love Republic for a number of things. One is of course the energy. Trying to do something different. People have perceptions, but I think the perceptions have formed on the basis of one’s personal experience, without complete data points. I really took a clinical look at it and I have a feeling there are lot of interesting things that are happening…

    It looks as if you are taking on your previous employer Times Of India. We know that Republic and Times of India have been slugging it out.

    Marketplace is a war place.

    War place?

    When I say war place, because of the fact that there is competition…

    Is Vineet Jain still talking to you?

    Why are you specifying Sameer Jain, Vineet Jain? There is also Aroon Purie…

    Since you were at the top at the Times of India, you know how that organisation works, the various business dynamics, and the love for Arnab Goswami.

    But if the two journeys are different? If you look at it from the marketing point of view, we are playing professional games in the marketplace. If I were in Times of India, I would have played Times of India’s game. So, if you are playing the game, you cannot question the rules of the game. I am just following the rules of the game. And it is nothing directed, it is about business.

    Your most trusted lieutenant is heading the rival organisation.

    Not right to call it the rival organisation. It is the market. Any part of the competition worldwide, there are only rivals who are doing. People are leaving McKinsey and joining EY, or for that matter you have worked in Mid-Day and you have gone to DNA. That is your freedom… fundamental right.

    I was a small cog in the wheel. You are the Big Boss

    That’s an illusionary construction. The wheels don’t move with the small cog.

    True. Moving on, you chucked your Dainik Bhaskar job so to say to join Republic…

    I must say here that I did not chuck the job. I…

    You moved on. Or in your words, you steadily transitioned.

    I found that I could not do justice to two jobs, so let me take one job. Because, academics was very important for me. And I thought that I will be able to balance both but after 14 months I realised that I can’t deliver.

    So why Republic and why not Bhaskar.

    This is because I wanted to work with a startup. It is a legacy medium, but the mentality is startup. It is about lot of experimentations that happen as a new organisation, and a very young team. I always look for how I can up skill myself. Dainik Bhaskar is an established company, huge brand pool. Here brand-building has to be done. Pool has to be sustained.

    Brand-building? Why do you need it for Republic? Republic = Arnab Goswami who is a brand…

    One individual cannot make a brand. A brand will ultimately happen…

    You shouldn’t be saying this. Arnab Goswami may also read this interview.

    Even he feels that the corporation is the brand. He is building an institution and has taken me on board to contribute to that institution-building. Anyone can make a big organisation. Dainik Bhaskar is a big company anyway. But your new learning will happen when you dirty your hands for a new institution building. My excitement is that. Otherwise a legacy company or a big company like Times of India or Dainik Bhaskar is much more comfortable. I want to make myself uncomfortable. Because I get scared when it is comfortable. Because learning never happens.

    Point.

    I am still very curious. I am very hungry. And I think that when you asked me some time back about, what is the energy, now I am realising it. It’s the curiosity. And today curiosity of a post-1997-98 born, when I go and learn is a different one. So it is a perfect combination of youth and experience. I wouldn’t say Dhoni-isation, Dhoni is still young. But it’s just “enjoy the game and remain obsolescence-free”.

    Are you in sync with the way Republic is going in terms of news and the postures that Arnab takes… very aggressive, very nationalistic?

    See there are some silos in my mind – my spiritual journey, my job journey, my academic journey, they run their own course. It is not about thesis, antithesis, it is more about synthesising. Ultimately, the market is the best arbiter, why bring in subjective judgment? I go by cold shower of facts that something is working. The biggest problem in the media industry is that some people extrapolate their personal experience to the whole universe. I doubt that the averaging is very important in terms of what is working. And if something is working then why bring individual judgment… if you don’t agree, you go to Ramkrishna Mission.

    That way you can say that pornography works best in the digital…

    It is irrelevant, because of the fact that if the digital characteristic is one-on-one and they are doing it, fine. Now we are talking about the order of ethicality of the society. Let society take care of it. Let the government take care of it. By that logic, if you talk about ethicality, people get excited by 10-year challenge, this, that and whatever. Please understand when you are a consumer, you are just a data point. So, to my mind that level of ethicality is permitted in every business, normal lack of ethicality. I can give you a proof of that that every time I do something on my social media, someone is capturing me, and someone is watching me. I call it the new age capitalistic surveillance.

    So, you are broadly in sync…

    I have a very synthesised mind. I pick up the best and make it a synthesis, as opposed to thinking what is differing with my own way.

    The channel is different…

    When you enter a cluttered market, you have to create a niche for yourself. See, taking a stand, setting an agenda will always be controversial. Republic has taken out a difference from the lexicon of news weaving. If you look at it horizontally, all news gets covered. It is only when you take position in edit page that people feel the whole channel is one way. I think it’s the same way you look at your thali, if you take the decision on the basis of spicy food, so you say that the thali is spicy. Or if its sweet than it’s sweet. I don’t think life has only one shade. It has many shades and I am comfortable with that.

    Guess all is hunky-dory. Hunky-dory in your mind at least. This is a channel that will work but what if as some opinion polls suggest that the BJP may not come back to power. Given that Republic has been very aggressive on the Congress, could the going be tough if an opposition or non-Modi-led government comes to power?

    See, there are newspapers and channels which are also left of centre. They haven’t closed down. Ultimately everyone does business in a certain way to maintain their distinctiveness and I have a feeling what will happen in future which will create stymies. It brands activities, it doesn’t work that way. After Jio has come, have the others shut shop? It has not happened. So, everyone survives in their own way. I think we should cross the bridge when it comes as opposed to, anticipating what will happen.

    Jio is not content. But, tell me, when we go out in the market, what is the kind of chatter you hear? Do people say “Arre, Bhaskarda, what have you done”? You know.

    No. It is a mix of things people say because everyone is relating from their own experience. One good thing is that no one is different.

    Do people sing or hum the song “Ye kya hua, kaise hua”?

    There are people who also say fantastic.. that it’s very good. Also, remember, all of us in some form stay in our echo chambers. You can’t remain really, really absolutely neutral. Your internal beliefs determine your external view of the world. So, the opinion that I get from various people, I’m not being very overtly anxious because in fact when I counter one… they are very perfunctory and quite often based on unrepresentative sample. They don’t have facts.

    Does overtly anxious means some amount of anxiety, unhappiness, lack of enthusiasm?

    Not overtly anxious means suppose if five people are saying something negative, then there are five people also saying things that positive. Then, how should you and why should you be anxious about something which is doing so very well. Obviously, you don’t become #1 for 89 weeks. See, the market is the best arbiter. Also, data shows that pre-Republic, if the reach was X, it is gone up by 61 percent. Republic has expanded the news genre, English genre market.

    But the English genre is so small?

    It may be minuscule, but fact remains English in this country is miniscule. Not even a closed fist size.

    My point is it’s about quality versus quantity. It is about its class within a mass… please understand that

    Now you are entering the mass market with Bharat

    Even that mass, if you look at it, is nothing compared to GECs. Everything is relative, right?

    Are you sure that Bharat will be successful with some big folks so well-entrenched?

    I have not developed any skill in astrological predictions…

    Hindi channels also have astrology on them.

    They may have but point is that’s what customers want. But I’m just trying to say that I am talking about myself and I don’t have any astrological ability. The only thing I can tell and talk about is the present. Present an indication in terms of the way channel is getting, content is created, anchors are coming, or distributions are happening. I’m very optimistic not to be politically correct but sounds interesting because I’ve worked in Hindi channels also and I find it there is something interesting that is being constructed. Don’t forget that even in English, Republic has broken the mould. In Hindi also, we are going to break the mould. So, everyone exists, but everyone exist here for a reason and the positioning is all about that. I think Hindi will be able to carve a niche for itself. What will be and who will be standing where, that’s future every week.

    But you have some really big, big as they say ‘diggaj’ (formidable) competitors.

    Yahoo was also a success, once upon a time a success. History is replete, corporate history is replete with examples of big legacy players. You just don’t know how markets behave? See, human needs are primordial. The cessation gets modern and the cessation happens. Most of the cases are tectonic.

    Aaj Tak is still the leader

    I don’t know. Only the future can say that. I’m just trying to say that generic management principle on tectonic shifts, I have not seen visually.

    You used the word tectonic.

    Yes, tectonic.

    Do you see an earthquake happening?

    The tectonic shift that happened is in terms of technology and consumer behaviour and culture and when it happens, consumer preferences change. In our life time starting we have seen the move from radio to television to cable your terrestrial and then of course you have satellite, then you have got mobiles, then you have got OTT. Things are continuously changing and today your first screen is your mobile. If you look at the new generation, post-97 born, you will see they are not even looking at the news. But again, people are putting up at their own experience, their children but actually the news consumption is going up. Markets are getting expanded, the pecking orders are changing.

    Your forecast, I know you said you are not an astrologer. But conviction one can talk about. Where do you think Republic Bharat will be, say, a few months from now?

    See, one is aspiration and then you have the actual reality. Our aspiration is to be a leading competitive player in the market because ultimately business model is about advertising and advertisers prefer top pecking order.  So, Republic like any other channel would like to be…

    Hmmm

    Tell me who will say “I don’t want to be number one”? So, point is if you look at the way news channels is bought, there is a pecking order, there is Basket number 1, Basket number 2 and Basket number 3 and accordingly, the rates are determined and accordingly the preferences are determined by this. I have a feeling Republic would be really competitive at the top end of the spectrum.

    You have still not given me a very firm answer?

    Life is not about determinism. Life is more about a range of possibilities and you play with the possibilities as you gain theory. So anyone who gives a deterministic answer has, I think, superhuman capabilities.

    You’ve gone into a spiritual zone once again

    I’m sure an employer does not want such spiritual achievements. Even in my case it is always response, I got very positive response because of the fact that I don’t do dharma. But when dharma gets sanitised by the doctrine of righteousness, I think anyone would appreciate.

    Dharma cannot be your karma, or can it?

    Our actual pursuance of dharma includes your karma.

    I don’t understand what you are saying

    I have never ever talked about so much of spirituality in an interview.

    I guess our readers will know what you have said and what you have not said. On this spiritual note, at least we can laugh about it. Thank you.

    Believe me, I really continuously sanitise it. It gives one so much peace.

    Hmmm

     

  • Khanchandani will now assume overall responsibility of all the three network brands, Republic Television, Republic World Digital, and the upcoming Hindi News channel Republic Bharat

    Bhaskar Das joins Republic as Group President. Vikas Khanchandani to be Group CEO

    By A Correspondent

     

    Republic Media Network has announced the appointment of veteran mediaperson Dr Bhaskar Das as Group President, Republic Media Network. The news network has elevated Vikas Khanchandani to be Group CEO. The announcement assumes significance as the network is on an expansion mode with the forthcoming launch of its Hindi channel.

     

    Khanchandani will now assume overall responsibility of all the three network brands, Republic Television, Republic World Digital, and the upcoming Hindi News channel Republic Bharat.

     

    Dr Das was President of The Times of India Group and was later Group CEO of Zee Media Network and Executive President at Dainik Bhaskar Group.

     

    Said Arnab Goswami, Managing Director and Editor in Chief – Republic Media Network: “Vikas has led the channel exceptionally from the start-up to expansion mode. As we get set to launch Republic Bharat, I am excited he will along with Bhaskar Das see the next phase of growth and consolidation of our new age Media–Tech company. We are on the look-out for growth opportunities that are both scalable and sustainable. I look forward to partnering and growing with them.”

     

    Added Khanchandani: “We are very excited about Dr Das joining forces with us to help scale the business at the Network. He is one of the most respected media professionals and our network will immensely benefit from his knowledge and experience. His announcement comes just after one for Hersh Bhandari who joined us as the EVP – Revenue on Republic Bharat. With our current expansion in the management team, as a network, we are poised for growth and scale in business. We will look for opportunities both organic and acquisitive growth within technology and media. Republic is a disruptor brand and we will look at a global digital foray in the near future”

     

  • Overtime there has been a definite shift in the role of women from merely celebrating the purchase of a car by the family to being an important ‘Partner’ in the decision-making, notes the study

    Women key influencers in auto purchase: Dainik Bhaskar-Lumiere research

    By A Correspondent

     

    A study conducted by research firm Lumiere Business Solutions and commissioned by the Dainik Bhaskar grouphas explored the role of women as a key influencer on the decision making process of the family’s purchase of an automobile.The key objectives of the research were to understand the role of women in the purchase of a 4-wheeler, identify what are the internal and external deciding factors around the purchase, and also study the media consumption and habits of consumers that lead to the purchase.

     

    Key findings:

    :: The role of women has evolved over years — from earlier, not being regarded as a partcipant in the purchase decision for an automobile, to now becoming a key influencer in the decision making process.

    :: Overtime there has been a definite shift in the role of women from merely celebrating the purchase of a car by the family, to being an important ‘Partner’ in the decision-making.

    :: This evolving role of women, can be considered a key communications input to advertisers to design the advertising communications around purchase of an automobile by the family, keeping women at the centre of the communication.

    :: The research reveals the different stages through which the woman of the house, guides the purchase decision: when the woman becomes the Enabler, Validator and Partner in the core decision making of the purchase of a 4-wheeler.

    :: While the men are the ‘financiers’ and may have more technical knowledge about automobiles, the women play an important participative role as a ‘sounding board’ across several parameters and actively leverages the internet to help in informed decision-making.

    :: The research revealed that women keep themselves updated through internet which is the most used medium to seek information; and read various newspapers for main local news, updates about family, food and fashion; and key trends, mainly scanning through headlines due to paucity of time.

    :: Women were also found to be the primary decision maker on household purchases upto Rs. 5000 including children’s education, grocery and domestic expenditures. However, they are playing a ‘participative’ and ‘supportive’ role in high value purchases like consumer durables, house, jewellery and 4-wheelers.

     

    Said Satyajit Sengupta, Chief Corporate Sales and Marketing Officer, Dainik Bhaskar Group:“The research has revealed some important nuances of how the role of women continues to evolve as a key influencer in the decision making process of high value purchases made by a family including an automobile. Gone are the times when women would not even be considered to express their opinions in important family or domestic decisions, and rather today, they are being seen to be playing a strong supportive role in every choice being made withinthe family. This is a key take-away to be used in creating targetted communications for automobile and other high-value purchases which were earlier thought to be made by men. The women are the influencers who are backing final purchase decisions and hence cannot be ignored in any communication by corporates”.

     

    Added Deepa Soman, Managing Director, Lumière Business Solutions: “An interesting observation of the research has been the changing mindset of women and their eagerness and enthusiasm in undertaking research in the form of information and deals around car purchase through the internet and other media, to support the husband’s decision towards final purchase. Women – whether housewives or professionals, are being seen to be proactively taking on more responsibility influencing the “right choice” aligned to the entire family’s needs. I believe, in a way, this signifies a certain ‘soft power’ that the family may not fully acknowledge but is definitely indespensible in the ultimate car purchase decision. For advertisers, this changing role and mindset can be a mine of information to be used and explored further.”

     

    The research was conducted in Ahmedabad and Jaipur, through focus groups as well as interviewing couples. All respondents were taken from the segments NCCS A+, A1, A2 & B1, within the age groups of 25-35 years & 36-45 years, comprising women with careers as well as housewives. Respondents were a mix of intenders and buyers of 4 wheelers who read a newspaper at least four times a week.

     

     

  • Dainik Bhaskar unveils a Hansa Research study which pegs it as the #2 Hindi daily in Bihar

    It’s Bihar Calling for Bhaskar!

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    The print media has had strong patrons over the years. But in more recent times, where digital has taken rapid strides globally and in India too, while the number of people propagating the benefits of the media hasn’t diminished, if there’s one person who not only aggressively champions the cause of print but also asks the trade media to promote it, it’s Girish Agarwaal, promoter and director of the Dainik Bhaskar group.

     

    Agarwaal spoke of the rapid growth of print despite naysayers, quoting his own newspaper’s example which he says is indeed a “very big deal”.

     

    The rise in newsprint prices which saw at least one newspaper group declaring that it’s going to cut its print run to cut costs is not something that Agarwaal too bothered about. “It’s cyclical, and will come down in a few quarters,” he told mediapersons.

     

    On Tuesday, Agarwaal and team had convened a presser to announce the rapid strides his paper had seen in Bihar in just a year of launch. It commissioned Hansa Research, the agency which would undertake the IRS research until it was upstaged by Nielsen a few years back, to map the length and breadth of Bihar to conduct the study.

     

    A sample of over 2000 people conducted the study, and the results show that Dainik Bhaskar is a close #2 in the state, ahead of Dainik Jagran and Prabhat Khabar. As per the study, DB is at #2 with an AIR of 9.11 lakh and Hindustan continues to lead at 9.98 lakh. But in Patna city, DB is #1 with AIR of 5.07 lakh

     

    Interestingly, DB has attracted the highest number of women readers amongst its peers. Its number is 47 per cent, as against 44 per cent being the next best.

     

    Readership Survey Report Bihar 2018

  • For talented emerging entrepreneurs in Tier 2 & 3 regions

    Dainik Bhaskar partners The Mumbai Angels Network to launch startup funding competition

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dainik Bhaskar Group announced that the group’s non-profit arm, Ramesh and Sharda Agarwal Foundation is launching India’s first startup funding competition for startups from Tier 2 and 3 Tier cities which are India’s new growth engines. The initiative is powered by Mumbai Angels, an angel investing network.

     

    The programme will shortlist startups that can pitch for funding to more than 300 members of The MA Network across the country. Dainik Bhaskar Group will invest in the winning startups, mentor them to help them grow to their full potential and support them to compete on an equal platform in India and internationally.

     

    Said Girish Agarwaal, Promoter-Director, Dainik Bhaskar Group: “We believe India’s prosperity depends strongly on its natural talent for entrepreneurship. Our primary purpose behind launching this initiative is to ensure that start-ups from fast-growing cities across India get an equal opportunity for growth and access to funding as start-ups in any other part of the country. As the largest media house in India, we consider it to be our responsibility to contribute to the growth of the startup ecosystem in India and help create several more home-grown success stories”.

     

    Added Nandini Mansinghka, CEO and MD, Mumbai Angels Network: “The MA Network is continuously scouting for innovative start-ups and we are very excited to partner with the Daink Bhaskar Group to identify the some of the best startups from across India’s smaller towns and cities. The selected start-ups will be invited to pitch to over 300 members of our network across 6 cities.”

     

     

  • The website dons new look; introduces new content segments

    DB Corp revamps its Gujarati news portal, DivyaBhaskar.com

    By A Correspondent

     

    DivyaBhaskar.com, with an all new look and a wide canvas of content will now impart knowledge through news coverage from state, country and the globe with a special focus on spirituality, literature and women centric content.

    Speaking about the relaunch, Pawan Agarwal, Deputy Managing Director, Dainik Bhaskar Group said: “People from Gujarat are known for their love for literature, spirituality and gender sensitivity. The renewed content philosophy of DivyaBhaskar.com will cater to all these attributes.. We are moving beyond news and it’s a new beginning for us to continue our legacy and dominance in digital footprint in Gujarat. Further to news and information, we will now provide our readers with various unique features like Gujarat’s biggest Women Only Jobs Platform, Community wall for spiritual Gurus, a depositary to digital literature work and profiling of 111 temples of Gujarat.”

  • Yagnik was in the newsroom at 10pm on Thursday when he suffered a heart attack

    Dainik Bhaskar Group Editor Kalpesh Yagnik passes away

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dainik Bhaskar Group Editor Kalpesh Yagnik passed away early this morning (Friday, July 13). Yagnik was in the Bhaskar newsroom at Indore at 10pm on Thursday when he suffered a heart attack.

     

    Fifty-five-year-old Yagnik has been working with the Bhaskar group since 1998 and has been helming the newspaper group’s editorial function for over a decade.

     

     

  • Dainik Bhaskar has also been ranked World’s fourth largest circulated daily by WANIFRA in its World Press Trends 2016 report

    Dainik Bhaskar becomes India’s largest circulated multi-edition daily

    By A Correspondent

     

    There is a sense of jubilation at the offices of Dainik Bhaskar now with the government acknowledging that it is the nation’s largest circulated multi-edition daily. I&B Minister SmritiI rani released the Press in India Report 2016-17 prepared by Registrar of Newspapers of India earlier this month. It names Daink Bhaskar as the country’s largest circulated multi-edition daily.

     

    Said Girish Agarwal, Director, Dainik Bhaskar Group: “Being crowned the undisputed leader by nation’s apex body is a verdict that could not be more unanimous. This will give impetus to our efforts of delivering cutting edge content for our readers. We value the sheer trust of our readers who wake up every morning to our independent newspaper.”

     

    Dainik Bhaskar has also been ranked World’s fourth largest circulated daily by WANIFRA in its World Press Trends 2016 report.

     

    Added Vinay Maheshwari, SVP-Sales and Market Development & Brand Marketing, Dainik Bhaskar Group: “This achievement is a resultant of our reader centric approach followed consistently every day. This is also fuelled by the right mix of content and promotion in adherence with stringent quality management systems”.

     

     

  • Collaboration is key to expanding financial literacy and equity culture in 'Unmetro' regions Mumbai

    Dainik Bhaskar hosts financial seminar in Mumbai

    By A Correspondent

     

    DB Corp Limited (DBCL) announced the successful conclusion of its event last week that saw a representation of over 70 professionals from the financial services industry including top merchant bankers, analysts from reputed broking houses as well as leading media and advertising agencies.

     

    The event with theme “India’s growing equity culture” Joint Secretary – DIPAM, Ministry of Finance Dr Dheeraj Bhatnagar as Chief Guest who also delivered the keynote address. Bhatnagar reiterated the government’s efforts and commitment to reforms that have paved the way for stronger economic growth. Dr Bhaskar Das, Executive President, DB Corp presented the current capital market environment and how equity has been delivering breakthrough performance as an asset class triggering more allocation towards financial savings, primarily driven post demonetisation. Dr Das also discussed the key IPO markets in India, Dainik Bhaskar Group’s presence in these regions and how leading publications as Dainik Bhaskar and Divya Bhaskar are supporting the industry to expand the nascent equity culture across India’s tier 2 and 3 cities which have emerged as the country’s new growth engines.

     

    Said Girish Agarwaal, Promoter-Director, DB Corp: “These are exciting times that the country is witnessing. With key reforms paving the way for stronger economic and industrial progress, India is moving on to the next phase of productive growth. India’s macroeconomic fundamentals demonstrate that the economy is now poised to take off. As India’s largest media conglomerate, Dainik Bhakar Group through its publications in four languages, 66 print editions across 12 states; has been playing an active role in supporting the expanding equity culture in India. We are even more committed to extend our strengths to the financial services industry in particular; to expand financial and capital market literacy to reach out to retail investors across India. While significant potential across industries is being gradually unlocked, a key aspect of this future progress also includes the simultaneous growth of India’s retail investor community. Discussing the way forward based on a collaborative approach, was the primary objective of the successful event. We thank Dr. Bhatnagar for gracing the event and all our guests who made the discussions so engaging.”

     

     

  • Although there has been no official word to the stock exchanges or the media, it is learnt that the Zee group-owned Diligent Media Corporation has taken charge of both editions

    Dainik Bhaskar group exits DNA in Ahmedabad & Jaipur. Zee group takes charge

    By A Correspondent

     

    D B Corp Limited (DBCL), better known as the Dainik Bhaskar group, which had entered into publication licence agreements with the now-Zee promoted Diligent Media Corporation Limited (DMCL) whereby DMCL had granted an exclusive licence to DBCL to print, edit, publish, circulate and market the newspaper titled ‘DNA – Daily News & Analysis’ together with its supplements in the cities of Jaipur and Ahmedabad, has terminated its agreement with effect from close of business yesterday (June 15).

     

    Notes a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange: “D. B. Corp Ltd. and DMCL have now mutually decided to terminate the agreements with effect from close of business hours on June 15, 2017 and consequently DBCL will stop publication of DNA newspaper from abovesaid cities from June 16, 2017 and onwards”.

     

    Although there has been no official word to the stock exchanges or the media, it is learnt that the Zee group-owned Diligent Media Corporation has taken charge of both editions. In fact, a news report was carried on the Zee Rajasthan news channel, a clip of which we have seen, has DNA CEO Jagdeesh Chandra taking charge and speaking on the occasion.