News Broadcasting
Sahara One comes under control of promoters
MUMBAI: Sahara Group promoters have taken back operational control of Sahara One Media and Entertainment Ltd.
Seemanto Roy, the younger son of Sahara chairman Subroto Roy, has been made head of the company and CEO Shantonu Aditya will report directly to him.
Earlier, Percept promoter Shailendra Singh was managing the operations and Aditya was in effect reporting to him.
“Percept was acting as the representative of Sahara for the Group’s entertainment business. Sahara One employees were involved with Percept. Under the new arrangement, Roy will be directly involved,” a source close to the company says.
Singh, however, will continue to advise Roy. In an internal circular, the company has communicated the structural change.
“In order to strengthen the activities of Sahara One, Seemanto Roy will head Sahara One’s business. Shailendra Singh will be the advisor to Roy,” the circular says.
Incidentally, Subroto Roy’s elder son Sushanto was earlier looking at Sahara’s media and entertainment business.
Seemanto will also be responsible for setting up Sahara’s film city in addition to Amby Valley housing project, which falls in his portfolio.
Sahara One runs two TV channels and is also engaged in the movie business.
The company clocked Rs 2.12 billion in revenues and earned a net profit of Rs 72.27 million for the fiscal ended 31 March 2006.
According to Singh, direct involvement of the promoters is a progressive move as the company is on a major expansion drive.
“We continue to be in the same position as strategic advisors. We succeeded in taking Sahara One’s businesses to some level and put a team in place. Now that the scalability of the game is bigger, the direct involvement of the promoters is essential to take Sahara One to the next level,” he adds.
Percept has completed 11 out of the 15 movies it was to produce for Sahara. “We are ready with the other four, which we will be doing for them,” says Singh, stressing that the relationship with Sahara has not changed much.
Sahara had entered into a management joint venture with Percept almost two years back to handle its entertainment business.
The Hindi general entertainment channel needed to be fixed as it was floundering in a genre which had strong players like Star Plus, Sony TV and Zee TV. Special focus had also to be laid on the movie production business.
Early this year C Sivasankaran’s Aircel Televentures bought 14.98 per cent stake in Sahara One Media and Entertainment Ltd for Rs 1.2 billion.
Bennett, Coleman & Company Ltd, owners of Times of India and Zoom television channel, also acquired a small stake in the company for approximately Rs 380 million.
News Broadcasting
BBC to cut up to 2,000 jobs in biggest overhaul in 15 years
Cost pressures and leadership change drive major workforce reduction plan
LONDON: BBC has unveiled plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs, roughly 10 per cent of its global workforce, in what marks its biggest downsizing in 15 years.
The announcement was made during an all-staff meeting led by interim director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies, as the broadcaster moves to tackle mounting financial pressures and reshape its operations.
Between 1,800 and 2,000 roles are expected to be eliminated from a workforce of around 21,500. The cuts form part of a broader plan to save £500 million over the next two years, aimed at offsetting rising costs, stagnating licence fee income and weaker commercial revenues.
In a communication to staff, BBC interim director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies said, “I know this creates real uncertainty, but we wanted to be open about the challenge,” acknowledging the impact the move would have across the organisation.
The restructuring comes at a time of leadership transition. Former director-general Tim Davie stepped down earlier this month, with Matt Brittin, a former Google executive, set to take over the role on May 18, 2026.
While some cost-cutting measures are being implemented immediately, the majority of the structural changes are expected to roll out over the next few years, with full savings targeted by the 2027–2028 financial year.
The broadcaster had earlier signalled its intent to reduce its cost base by around 10 per cent over a three-year period, warning of “difficult choices” as it adapts to shifting economic realities and audience expectations.
With operating costs hovering around £6 billion annually, the BBC’s latest move underscores the scale of the financial challenge it faces, as it balances public service commitments with the need for long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive media landscape.
