News Broadcasting
Star News unleashes mobile vans to generate awareness on Maharashtra Assembly Elections
MUMBAI: As the Maharashtra Assembly Elections draws closer, news channels are gearing up for the coverage of the same. Star News, on its behalf has rolled out two on-ground initiatives as a part of its special coverage for the Maharashtra Assembly Elections. With these initiatives, the channel is looking to reach out to the common man and bring to light their views, opinions and dissent.
In the first initiative called – Maratha Express – two Star News teams will tour various towns across Maharashtra and will present a detailed report on each town featuring its history, its culture, the problems facing the people, the political developments over the years, and most importantly chats involving the people and their local leaders.
One team will begin its quest from the city located in the centre of India – Nagpur and the other from Mumbai. From 18 September onwards, these reports are on air daily at 6.30 pm as part of the elections special segment – Maharashtra Mein Mahabharat.
In the second initiative, Star News has rolled out vans to promote its Maharashtra Elections special Kaun Banega Mukhyamantri across the state of Maharashtra. This month long activity was kick-started on 19 September and involves three Star News – Kaun Banega Mukhyamantri ‘raths’ (chariots), which will tour 89 towns in Maharashtra.
These ‘raths’ will make the common man aware of the channel’s special shows for the Maharashtra Assembly Elections. In a move to attract the people, these vans will have interactive games for people based on the elections theme. People can participate in these games and win exciting prizes. These vans will also air the channel live in all these towns, and bring people up-to-date election coverage along with other news.
These vans will also inform people about the on-ground debates to be conducted in certain specific towns across Maharashtra and encourage them to participate.
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.
