News Broadcasting
Zee announces line-up for Thursdays, Sundays
MUMBAI: Zee TV has announced a new movie line-up for its Thursday Premiere initiative with films such as Makdee, Leela, Agnivarsha, Mitr, among others. On the eve of Valentine’s Day, Zee TV will premiere Telephoto Entertainment’s feature film Mitr starring Shobhana.
Zee also claims to have consolidated viewership by introducing new properties in its Sunday programming. The channel is also strengthening its Sunday line-up with ChausathPanne. According to information available with indiantelevision.com, Zee will also be soon launching Vishwas, a social thriller in the afternoon slot.
Zee’s new concept of Chausath Panne, will have serials running for only 64 episodes. Over and above this initiative, Zee will also have serials, which will be of four episodes each. The strategy is to give the audience tautly made programmes thus retaining the interest level.
Jay Mehta Productions has started shooting for the new serial, Vishwas, which will be slotted in the afternoon band. The serial stars Vijayendra Ghatge, Gautam Chaturvedi, Anang Desai, Raju Kher, Usha Bachani amongst others. Jay Mehta is awaiting the exact telecast timings during which the serial will be aired.
“Zee has pioneered the concept of airing movies coinciding with their theatrical release, it is this element of recentness, which is responsible for the success of the initiative. Acquiring films in an ongoing process, especially since the channel is looking at the factor of recentness. We are in the process of selecting additional films for the coming months,” says Zee TV president Apurva Purohit.
The following are the dates of telecast:
* Akhiyon Se Goli Maare – 6 February 2003 (Already aired)
* Mitr – 13 February 2003
* 16th December – 20 February 2003
* Leela – 27 February 2003
* Makdee – 6 March 2003
* Yeh Kaisi Mohabbat – 13 March 2003
* Agnivarsha – 20 March 2003
* Maseeha – 27 March 2003
Mitr, produced by Telephoto Entertainment ( a company promoted by Revathy and T Suresh Chandra Menon) has renowned theatre artist Nasir Abdullah and Shobhana in an offbeat role, which comes out with a lot of punch.
Mitr depicts the life of an Indian housewife who lives with her husband abroad and has lost her own identity amid household responsibilities and daily chores. The movie is an attempt to communicate that there are ways to come up trumps in adverse circumstances, and that love has no barriers. The movie is all about love, responsibilities and emotions, which signify Valentine’s Day.
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.
