News Broadcasting
Virgin Comics & Tiger Hill launch ‘Seven Brothers’ in Yahoo’s Time Capsule
MUMBAI: Virgin Comics and Tiger Hill Entertainment have announced that their new comic John Woo’s Seven Brothers is available online exclusively through Yahoo!’s Internet Time Capsule, an electronic anthropology archive.
Seven Brothers is the initial launch in Virgin Comic’s “Director’s Cut” imprint, which for the first time allows the world’s top filmmakers to incubate stories and characters in comic book form for further development into film and animation, informs an official release.
Developed by popular Hollywood director John Woo (Face Off, Mission Impossible 2) and Tiger Hill Entertainment in collaboration with Sir Richard Branson’s newly formed comic book media company, Virgin Comics, the inaugural issue of Seven Brothers takes place in contemporary Los Angeles and follows a global epic spanning seven centuries and seven continents featuring a cast of international characters, each with supernatural abilities.
While the debut issue of Seven Brothers will be released in the US on 18 October, an exclusive digital version of the comic book will be offered through the Yahoo! Internet Time Capsule, which will be featured on localised Yahoo! home pages around the world, including the most popular home page on the Internet, www.yahoo.com, the release adds.
“Graphic novels are an exciting new medium for me and I am excited to work with Yahoo! to bring this comic book series to audiences around the world and to preserve it for the future,” says series creator John Woo.
“John Woo is an international icon who stands at the forefront of creative innovation,” said Sharad Devarajan, CEO of Virgin Comics. “Yahoo! is an excellent partner to help us share this milestone entertainment event with a worldwide audience.”
In collaboration with John Woo, Seven Brothers is written by renowned comic book author, Garth Ennis. Ennis, whose work includes the action comic titles Punisher and Preacher, is regarded as one of the industry’s bestselling and most critically acclaimed writers.
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.
