MxMIndia

Tag: Kartikeya Sharma

  • NewsX has announced another addition to the content line-up with 'Mandate with Destiny'

    NewsX gets Vir Sanghvi to host ‘Mandate with Destiny’

    By a correspondent

     

    Having undergone a repositioning exercise recently, NewsX announced another addition to the content line-up with ‘Mandate with Destiny’. The show would be hosted by distinguished journalist and TV show host Vir Sanghvi.

     

    ‘Mandate with Destiny’ is a show that tells the story of the making of modern India through the elections that have shaped our country.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Kartikeya Sharma, MD, iTV Network which owns and runs NewsX & India News said “We are happy to launch one of its kind show on NewsX. Vir’s understanding of Indian political landscape will provide invaluable insights as he takes us through a momentous journey of the historic elections that shaped modern India. I am confident that the show will generate a huge level of excitement amongst viewers”

     

    Written and presented by Vir Sanghvi, the show unites archival footage, personal insights and interviews with many of the key players to provide a gripping narrative that makes the complexities of Indian politics instantly accessible.

     

    ‘Mandate with Destiny’ goes on air from Friday, 4th April 2014. It will be a weekly show, every Friday 10 pm.

     

  • NewsX has unveiled a new look with youthful colors (blue and red) and new fonts adorning the channel as it gets set for the general elections

    Vir Sanghvi stars in NewsX’s new line-up and channel packaging

    By A Correspondent

     

    After having made a quantum leap after being acquired by Kartikeya Sharma’s iTV Network, NewsX has unveiled a new look. Youthful colors (blue and red) and new fonts adorn the channel as it gears up for the general elections.

     

    “The new look is in line with the channel’s profile, which caters to the young, affluent and urban viewers within the SEC AB category in the 25-44 age group,” notes a communiqué.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sharma, Managing Director of the iTV Network, said: “Over the last few months, NewsX has become the home of breaking news, in-depth coverage, analysis and hardcore news reporting from the ground and this is a significant new phase to build our growth story.”

     

    Along with the look-and-feel, joining the line-up of well-known presenters is Vir Sanghvi who will present a show called ‘Ideas that shaped Indian Democracy’. This is in addition to ‘Decode India with MJ Akbar’ which is already on air.

     

    Added R K Arora, CEO, iTV Network: “Our success in the recent times only reinforces our belief in ‘News not Noise’. We are glad that our strategies have resulted in unparalleled success for the channel. Our constant endeavour is to produce and present news in the most engaging manner”.

     

  • Kartikeya Sharma, MD of ITV network, recently inked a deal with Cent Percent to buy a majority stake in the company set up by former Zee News honchos Barun Das and Amit Tripathi

    Kartikeya Sharma acquires majority in Barun Das’ Cent Percent

    By A Correspondent

     

    Kartikeya Sharma, MD of ITV network, has inked a deal with Cent Percent to buy a majority stake in the company. Set up by Barun Das, until recently CEO of Zee News, and Amit Tripathi, formely sales head at Zee News., Cent Percent Media Solutions is on outsourcing adverting sales organization with its core focus on regional and niche TV brands.

     

    Mr Sharma has embarked on an aggressive journey to make ITV a robust and successfuly news network. Last year, he acquired English news channel News X which he plans to relaunch soon. The ITV network has another six channels including India News. Leading news anchor Deepak Chaurasia is the new face of India News, having joined the channel from ABP News.

     

    Commenting on this acquisition Mr Sharma said, “Barun and his team have tremendous track record in managing news television business in the highly competitive genre. Given the proliferation of niche and regional channels that I foresee, riding the digitization of Cable distribution, Cent Percent is an extremely exciting proposition.”

     

    Said R K Arora, CEO of ITV network, “We have the largest number of news channels for any network in the HSM markets. Our thrust is on content and marketing strategy, which has already started showing results.”

     

    Said Barun Das, “Kartikeya has a great vision for his media business. The fact that he found value in what we have set out to do, augments my confidence many folds. Regionalisation and digitization are the primary growth drivers of TV media, where so far the profitability has been the prerogative of only a select few. With capacity growing exponentially due to digitization, Indian TV industry is poised for the next big leap. In a country of 1.24 billion people with 22 official languages, niche and regional language channels would realize their true potential, now. I expect more 200 new channels, mostly regional and niche, would be launched in next 3-5 years. Cent Percent would be a one-stop shop to meet the advertising revenue challenge of all niche and regional channels who may not find it viable to build a strong national sales team”

     

    Highlighting the plans for the company, Amit Tripathi added, “We will have a strong national team with about 70 leading sales professionals. Our initial plan is to build a bouquet of regional news channels which would be the biggest and most effective one from the point of view of national advertisers. Within the first fortnight of its operations, Cent Percent has signed up with seven high potential regional news channels. We are confident that before the new financial year, we will be setting up a bouquet of 10 regional news channels. Our primary bouquet will have a channel each from leading regional TV markets of India. We will carefully handpick those channels.”

     

  • Beleaguered English news channel NewsX has finally found a suitor in the Piccadily Group

    NewsX finds a benefactor in owners of India News & Aaj Samaj [updated]

    By A Correspondent [updated]

     

    The ITV Group promoted by Kartikeya Sharma and its associates have acquired control of INX News Pvt. Ltd. which owns and operates the English news channel NewsX.

     

    Speaking on the occasion Mr. Sharma, Managing Director, ITV said, “This is a logical market expansion for us and enables us to enter the English news domain while strengthening our presence in the broadcast and digital media space.  NewsX has emerged as a quality news provider with great growth potential and making it part of our group’s network of seven regional news channels will bolster news gathering abilities and create multiple synergies all around.”

     

    In 2009, Mr. Vinay Chhajlani and Mr. Jehangir S. Pocha had joined hands to run NewsX.  In a joint statement Chhajlani and Pocha said, “We are happy to hand over the channel to the ITV Group and acknowledge the contribution of the team that has earned NewsX much recognition.  Being part of the ITV Group will help NewsX transcend the limitations of being a stand-alone channel and give new thrust to the channel’s editorial and commercial development.”

     

    Our earlier report:

    Indi Media Network-owned English news channel, NewsX has finally found a suitor in ITV Media (Information TV). The details of the financial transaction are not known yet, though sources close to the development have confirmed the news to MxMIndia.

     

    ITV Media is the parent electronic media company which broadcasts 24/7 Hindi news channel, India News. ITV Media is part of the Piccadilly Group which also runs a print division that publishes a daily Hindi Newspaper, Aaj Samaj as well as a weekly Hindi magazine, India News. Headed by Mr Kartikeya Sharma, the company also has two regional news satellite channels, India News Haryana and India News Bihar. Mr Sharma is son of leading Haryana Congress leader Venod Sharma and the brother of Manu Sharma, a convict in the Jessical Lal murder case.

     

    NewsX which was earlier owned by INX News, was launched with much fanfare in March 2008. Later in January 2009, it was bought over by Indi Media Network, a partnership between the then Nai Dunia CEO Vinay Chhajlani and Businessworld Editor Jehangir S Pocha.

     

    Mr Pocha is currently CEO and Editor-in-chief of NewsX. An official announcement was made by Mr Pocha to the existing staff about the transaction in the afternoon and the new management is likely to speak to the team later today. MxMIndia learns that Mr Pocha reassured the team that he will continue as Editor-in-Chief. There were indicators that some resource sharing may happen with IndiaNews. A press communiqué is also to be issued.