News Broadcasting
TV Today Q1 operating profit from news biz shrinks 9.8%
MUMBAI: TV Today Network‘s first quarter operating profit from the television news business has shrunk 9.81 per cent due to a slowing growth in revenue and a surge in staff expense, while the radio segment has reported a 60 per cent jump in turnover.
The company, which runs news channels that include Aaj Tak and Headlines Today, has posted an operating profit of Rs 44.24 million from the TV broadcasting business, down from Rs 49.05 million a year ago.
Revenue from this segment grew 7.5 per cent to Rs 689.80 million for the first three months ended June 2011, compared with Rs 641.39 million in the earlier year.
Overall, TV Today Network has reported a net loss of Rs 2.82 million during the first quarter of the fiscal, dragged down by its losses from the FM radio business. In the same quarter last year, the company had earned a net profit of Rs 203.92 million.
For the first time, however, it is not just the losses in the radio business that has affected the bottom line of the company but also a 27.32 per cent increase in the employee cost.
TV Today Network’s expenses surged to Rs 713.34 million, compared to Rs 454.35 million a year ago. The spend on staff salary was Rs 246.8 million, up from Rs 193.84 million. The company said that the year-ago period does not include the value of increments for the period given subsequently.
TV Today’s income from operations stood at Rs 703.70 million, 8.25 per cent up from Rs 650.08 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal.
The radio business posted an operating loss of Rs 47.71 million on an income of Rs 13.90 million. In the earlier year, operating loss stood at Rs 43.32 million on an income of Rs 8.69 million.
TV Today shares fell 0.55 per cent to close Friday at Rs 63.40 on the BSE.
News Broadcasting
GenNext takes charge as Network18 reshuffles leadership
With Avinash Kaul bowing out, Network18 hands reins to younger leaders, streamlines operations, and pushes data-driven growth across TV, digital and regional markets
MUMBAI: Network18 is redrawing its leadership map just as a long-time lieutenant bows out. Avinash Kaul, a central figure in the broadcaster’s rise since 2014, is leaving after 12 years to pursue “professional and personal goals”, triggering a broad-based reshuffle that puts a younger cohort directly under the top brass.
Kaul joined at a pivotal moment during the company’s transition and went on to scale the television business, combining strategic nous with data-led decision-making and a sharp read of the news landscape. “Avinash has been an integral part of the Network18 story,” the company said, thanking him for his leadership of the broadcast business and wishing him the best for the future.
In his wake, Network18 is betting on what it calls a “young and restless” leadership bench. “The team has taken charge and proved its mettle in quite adverse circumstances,” the note said, adding that “GenNext has seamlessly stepped in as we continue to outperform our peers.”
Operationally, the structure is being flattened. Smriti Mehra, S Shivakumar and Mitul Sangani will work directly with the top leadership, as they did in the fourth quarter. Ganesh Iyer and Abhinay Chauhan continue in their existing roles, while younger executives are being handed wider mandates across social, digital, connected TV and linear.
The reporting lines are being tightened to drive revenue and product momentum. Prabhat Chatterjee, business head–Forbes, and Arun Thapar, president–content and communication for AETN-18, will report to Smriti Mehra, alongside Mallika Nath Handa, who will lead special projects spanning new shows and non-linear properties. Jayesh Gokalgandhi, CFO for AETN-18, will report to Ramesh Damani.
Mitul Sangani will oversee expansion in Hindi and regional markets, with Sidharth Newatia, CRO–ILC, focusing on reach and revenue growth, particularly in tier-II and III markets. Pankaj Soni, head of marketing–ILC, will also report to Sangani while working functionally with Ganesh Iyer.
The group is also consolidating its branded content play. Moneycontrol’s branded content business will be folded into News18 Studio, with Don Zarrar moving to work with Shivakumar while continuing to lead existing studio and Focus teams.
International and platform growth are being bundled together. Pranav Bakshi takes on additional charge of the international business alongside connected TV and social platforms, with Naveen Mathur, who leads revenue management for the international unit, reporting to him. Bakshi continues to report to Puneet Singhvi.
On the technology and operations side, Rajesh Sharma, head of broadcast technology and IT; Rahul Singh, head of events and technical operations; and Bhupender Bhardwaj, head of IT security, will now report to Singhvi. Darshil Parekh, head of sales strategy, planning and operations, will work directly with Ramesh Damani and the top leadership, with Stanley Cyril, who manages digital sales operations, reporting to him.
Data is being pushed to the centre of decision-making. Jitamitra Mohanty, who leads research and analytics, will now work with Santosh Menon to turn audience data into “actionable insights that drive content strategy, product innovation and sustainable viewership growth”.
The message is clear: fewer layers, faster calls, sharper bets. With Kaul’s exit closing one chapter, Network18 is handing the wheel to a younger crew and doubling down on scale across screens. The race, it signals, will be run at full tilt.
