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Tag: Durga Raghunath

  • Set to launch a new era of digital media

    TOI celebrates a decade of Android & iOS app launch

    By Our Staff

    The Times of India is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its presence on Android and iOS platforms. One of the first Indian publications to have mobile apps for readers,

    TOI Digital has unveiled ‘TOI+’ for involved news-readers who demand a premium news experience on digital.

    Said Puneet Gupt, COO – Times Internet: “The Times Of India has been a source of the most authentic and reliable news, offering latest and unparalleled views, honest facts, incisive reportage and more for over a decade now. Our decade-long effort to power its digital transformation has coincided with the shift in Indian consumer behaviour in favour of digital products and services. We thank our 10 million strong community of users for being a part of this incredible journey, and promise to continue to hold our core values at heart as the medium for delivering news takes on new avatars based on advancements in technology.”

    Added Durga Raghunath, Digital Head – Times Of India: “With Indian audiences gaining exponential access to connectivity and cheaper smart devices, higher digital ad spends are set to propel the online media sector to new heights in the coming decade. Further, seamless digital payments, telecom APIs and cutting-edge media analytics will enable digital-first journalism to thrive. At TOI, we welcome this new era for digital media, and our team of tech, product and editorial experts will continue to ensure we are able to offer the most personalized and relevant news experience as more of our users start using our apps to stay updated and demand a richer news experience, anywhere and anytime.”

     

     

  • While Raghunath will head various editorial brands of the group, Saran has been named Chief Editor of Times Internet

    Durga Raghunath & Rohit Saran join Times Internet

    By A Correspondent

     

    Durga Raghunath
    Rohit Saran

    Times Internet has announced the appointment of Durga Raghunath and Rohit Saran to lead its digital properties.

     

    Raghunath has been named Digital Head of Times of India, Mirror Brands (Mumbai Mirror, Pune Mirror, Bangalore Mirror and Ahmedabad Mirror), Newspoint, Gadgets Now and Etimes. She was until recently SVP Growth at Zomato (Dec 2018-Aug 2020) and was previously Founder and CEO of Firstpost and Network18 Digital (2010-14). She has also been CEO, Indian Express Digital (Dec 2017-Dec 2018) and Co-founder and CEO of Juggernaut Books (Sep 2015- Aug 2017).

     

    Meanwhile, Rohit Saran has been named Chief Editor of Times Internet.  He was previously the managing editor for The Times of India (Print) and Executive Editor of The Economic Times (Print). He has held senior editorial positions at the India Today Group where he was Executive Editor of India Today and Editor of Business Today. He also edited The Khaleej Times in Dubai. He was also Editor of the South Asian edition of Harvard Business Review and Scientific American.

     

    Speaking on the announcement, Gautam Sinha, CEO, Times Internet said: “We are excited about our next stage of technology-led relationships with users, content producers and advertisers. Durga’s entrepreneurial energy and experience, and Rohit’s broad editorial exposure and deep understanding make us believe we can set and achieve audacious goals over the next five years. Both senior leaders would report to Times Internet COO Mr. Puneet Gupt.”

     

     

  • Raghunath will be responsible for managing new businesses like Zomato's upcoming food events vertical and SneakPeek

    Durga Raghunath joins Zomato as Senior VP – Growth

    By A Correspondent

     

    Zomato has announced the appointment of Durga Raghunath as Senior Vice President – Growth. Raghunath will be responsible for managing new businesses like Zomato’s upcoming food events vertical and SneakPeek – Zomato’s recent foray in video content. She will also be spearheading Ad innovations for Zomato and further help monetisation of the country’s largest food app. Raghunath is currently serving as CEO – Indian Express Digital Media Services, and was co-founder and CEO, Juggernaut Books, and CEO Network18 Digital.

     

    Said Deepinder Goyal, Founder & CEO, Zomato in a media statement: “I am excited to have Durga back with us, to help Zomato accelerate its growth trajectory for years to come,”

     

    Raghunath was the founder-CEO of Firstpost, India’s first exclusively digital newsroom. She also served as the CEO of Network 18 digital where she oversaw Moneycontrol, IBNLive, News18, Firstpost, Burrp!, and regional media products. She began her career in book publishing in India and with HarperCollins in New York.

     

     

  • As CEO, she will be responsible for managing business and editorial operations of all digital brands of the Express Group

    Durga Raghunath appointed CEO of Indian Express Digital Media Services

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Indian Express Group has named DurgaRaghunath as Chief Executive Officer of Indian Express Digital Media Services from today (December 1, 2017).

     

    As CEO, she will be responsible for managing business and editorial operations of all digital brands of the Express Group and will report to George Varghese, CEO, The Indian Express Group.

     

    “Durga brings a unique blend of sensibilities, a strong sense of editorial values of fairness and accuracy and a keen insight into how new technologies can force multiply these,” said Varghese.

     

    Added Anant Goenka, Executive Director, The Indian Express Group:“Our digital brands have shown tremendous growth and under Durga’s stewardship, I see them taking on new challenges and addressing the changing aspirations of our very discerning audience.”

     

    Said Raghunath on her appointment: “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to work with such a stunning group of journalists and take the trust and credibility of the Express newsroom to an ever-widening audience. I hope to translate the wide appeal that the brands have into deeper, richer user experiences.”

     

    Raghunath was founder-CEO of Firstpost and also served as CEO of Network 18 digital where she oversaw Moneycontrol, IBNLive, News18, Firstpost, Burrp!, In.com and regional media products. She began her career in book publishing in India and with HarperCollins in New

     

    She was co-founder and CEO Juggernaut Books, a digital first publishing startup that focusses on creating new genres of ebooks and a writing platform for the Indian public on their smartphones. Prior to that, she lead growth at Zomato, and played an active role in advising early-stage startups. She is also a Facebook #SheleadsTech Mentor.

     

     

  • She was earlier the CEO of Firstpost.com, the leading news and opinion portal from the group

    Durga Raghunath elevated at Network18 Digital

    By a correspondent

     

    Network18 Digital, the digital content arm of Network18 has strengthened its leadership structure by elevating Durga Raghunath to CEO. She was earlier the CEO of Firstpost.com, the leading news and opinion portal from the group. Lakshmi Narasimhan, the previous CEO for the group’s digital content business, is now moving onto a corporate role.

     

    Ajay Chacko

    Commenting on the development, Ajay Chacko, COO, Network18 said, “At Network18 Digital, we are proud to have built cult digital content brands which have had a defining influence on the space. As consumer internet in India undergoes a paradigm shift, we continue to be focused on leading this change from the front. Durga is well-equipped to lead this effort for us due to her strong understanding of the digital user, products and the opportunity.”

     

     

    Lakshmi Narasimhan added, “Durga has played a stellar role in transforming Firstpost from an innovative idea into a leader brand today. We are confident that in this expanded mandate, she will take Network18 Digital to newer heights.”

     

    Raghunath has over ten years experience in publishing – both books and digital. She previously worked with the Wall Street Journal, Mint and HarperCollins in New York.

     

  • Firstbiz will be a standalone business and news website from Network18's Firstpost

    Firstpost.com launches new business portal, Firstbiz

    By A Correspondent

     

    A little less than three years after the highly visible launch of Firstpost.com, the online news destination from the Network18 group, has launched www.firstbiz.com, a standalone business news and views site. Network18 already has moneycontrol and the Forbes India websites amongst its business-y web news offerings.

     

    While Firstpost has in the past covered business, economy, investing and brands as a part of its general news coverage, this standalone approach comes at a time when India gears up for its giant, general election where economic and business agendas are set as much as the political, notes a communiqué. Said R Jagannathan, Editor-in-chief: “With Firstpost, we walked right into the middle of a rising tide of public anger against poor governance and corruption. By reflecting a diverse range of public opinion that mainstream media was slow to respond to, Firstpost made a space for itself. Durga Raghunath, CEO Firstpost added: “We are also thrilled to take Biztech, that was previously a standalone property into our fold. Enterprise technology is a phenomenally important space that we will build a multitude of experiences around. We will focus on great depth in this area, both online and offline.”

     

    We are not sure whether we would agree with Mr Jagannathan’s comment on mainstream media has been slow. On the contrary – one of the charges against the television media specifically and even the newspapers in recent years – is that they’ve been exceedingly belligerent. The group’s subsidiary runs CNN-IBN, IBN7 and IBN-Lokmat, and one can be sure that editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai has a different view on the slow responsiveness. The news media genre has in fact grown in the last two years. But, of course, the internet access numbers have increased too which is why web destinations like Firstpost.com and MxMIndia have benefitted.

     

  • Web18, the digital content arm of Network18, has elevated Durga Raghunath to CEO of Firstpost.com. She was earlier VP, Product & Executive News Producer for Firstpost.

    Durga Raghunath elevated to CEO, Firstpost

    By A Correspondent

     

    Web18, the digital content arm of Network18, has strengthened its leadership structure by elevating Durga Raghunath to CEO of Firstpost.com. She was earlier VP, Product & Executive News Producer for Firstpost. This move is part of Web18’s progression towards a decentralized operating structure built around key strategic business units.

     

    Commenting on this development, Lakshmi Narasimhan, CEO, Web18 said, “Durga has been the force behind Firstpost.com that has made it one of the most influential news products in the country in a short span of two years. As the product enters its next phase of growth and monetization, it needs somebody with a deep understanding of digital news products and their business models to lead it. Durga fits the bill perfectly.”

     

    Speaking on her elevation, Durga Raghunath said, “I’ve sat in front of a computer in a newsroom for two years, building an evolving brand. To be given the opportunity to step back and look at it, in its entirety, is indeed very exciting.”

     

    Ms Raghunath has over ten years experience in publishing – both books and digital. She previously worked with the Wall Street Journal, Mint and HarperCollins in New York. She has an MBA from ISB and studied publishing at Columbia University. She joined Network18 two and a half years ago to conceptualize and launch firstpost.com.

     

  • YouSpeak allows users to express their views/ opinions via a 30-sec comment on any topic on Firstpost.com and to start a conversation of their choice

    Firstpost.com launches interactive, video views platform

    By A Correspondent

     

    Leading news and views portal Firstpost.com has launched a new interactive, video views platform, YouSpeak. The platform allows users to express their views/ opinions via a 30-second comment on any topic on Firstpost.com and also allows them to start a conversation of their choice. A user has to login with their Twitter or Facebook credentials because this experience unlike text commenting cannot remain anonymous.

     

    The product experience involves 3 parts:

    1) The Firstpost video comment – where Firstpost editors/writers spend a minute or two explaining their stance on a topic.

     

    2) Viewers can Reply to every one of these voices by simply hitting the reply button below the video. Firstpost detects if one has a webcam and records a 30-sec view, allowing users to preview and re-record as many times as they want to. Viewers can then submit their view with a headline and description. Post review it is published on the site and users are alerted through email.

     

    3) Participants can also start any discussion that they wish by turning on the recorder and simply hitting record. These views are also published upon preview.

     

    Said Durga Raghunath, VP-Products and Executive News Producer, “Firstpost, was conceptualized as a platform of relentless views, on all the issues that were of interest to a growing digital and social audience. Over close to two years now, we’ve fulfilled this promise through text, images, and as much interaction as a digital newsroom could put out. We’ve always felt that the digital editorial must find a video form and be treated as an important a pillar of Firstpost and hence the launch of YouSpeak. We are enormously excited because we see it as a democratic platform through which anyone can broadcast a view.”