News Broadcasting
Channel7 hunts for the fastest bowler with ‘Scorpio Speedster 2005’ contest
MUMBAI: Reality show fever still continues to be the flavour of the season. Even sports is not spared. IMG, the sports, lifestyle and entertainment management and marketing company, has associated with Hindi news channel – Channel7 to bring a reality hunt show Scorpio Speedster on tube.
Targeting an October-November launch, Scorpio Speedster will hunt for the seven fastest blowers. Though IMG had been conducting the hunt since 2003, this is the first time that IMG is taking Scorpio Speedster to television as a full-fledged reality show. In the last two years, ESPN Star Sports used to telecast vignettes of the contest.
Speaking about the association with IMG, Channel7 director Siddhartha Gupta says, “When we came across IMG and their concept of this search for India’s fastest bowler, we decided to create India’s reality cricket show. The idea now is not just to find who can bowl the fastest delivery in the nation, but to give India a true speed demon, a potential cricketing icon, a complete fast bowler.”
Out of 22 contenders, the top seven speedsters would form the final contenders for the title. The show will be hosted by Ajay Jadeja in the company of other experts. The seven bowlers would be showcased through 13 episodes on Channel7.
The regional rounds will be conducted for two days in each of the 10 cities and two winner from each cities will be selected. The 20 city contenders will compete with the winners and the runners-up of the 2003 and 2004 edition of Scorpio Speedster, says an official release.
IMG/TWI South Asia managing director Ravi Krishnan says: “IMG is proud to announce the third edition of this successful event as the official broadcaster Channel7, who, with their exciting reality show, will add a fresh dimension to the contest.”
Mahindra & Mahindra will be the official sponsor of the show while Canditi Foods will be the presenting sponsor. The co-sponsors are adidas and Domino’s Pizza. The Scorpio Speedster contest hopes to give that unrecognised talent a platform to achieve national, and ultimately, international recognition.
Channel7 chief operating officer Piyush Jain adds, “The event aims to bring out the best of Indian bowlers and will be well groomed through the seasons at MRF Pace Foundation along with a cash prize of Rs 10 lakhs.”
The hunt will commence in Delhi on 17 September and then move on to Chandigarh on 22 September, Jaipur (27 September), Gwalior (4 October), Lucknow (8 October), Hyderabad (15 October), Bangalore (21 October), Kolkatta (29 October), Ahmedabad (5 November), and Mumbai (11 November ).
The semi-finalists will test their speed against each other at Mumbai in their attempt to qualify as the final seven contenders for the reality show on Channel7.
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.
