News Broadcasting
Zee leads media stock surge on the Sensex
The rise and rise of the media stocks continue. The last few days has seen Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms scale new peaks. Today it was Subhash Chandra’s Zee Telefilms that led the way as the bourses recorded a third straight day-on-day gain.
The BSE 30-share Sensitive Index (Sensex) ended with a modest gain of 8.10 points at 3,411.92. The NSE S & P CNX Nifty Index also gained 4.60 points to end at 1,110.60, capitalmarket.com reported.
Zee Telefilms (up 5.68 per cent to Rs 185.95) has seen renewed buying interest amid hopes that the board may discuss equity sale to a strategic investor at its 29 April meeting where it is to declare its year-ending financial results. The meeting is expected to clear the decks for a hike in foreign fund stake ceiling to 49 per cent from the current 30 per cent. Over 493.2 million Zee shares were traded on the BSE today.
Balaji Telefilms continued its uninterrupted rise to close at Rs 632.85, up 5.26 per cent over yesterday’s close. The scrip has risen over 50 per cent from Rs 408.90 on 26 March 2002 to its current level.
The performance of the Balaji scrip is of course pivoted around the overarching popularity of Ekta’s serials – one-third of the top 100 TRP-rated serials on air today are Balaji shows.
With Balaji launching some new programmes on Sony TV and Zee TV, while lowering focus on south Indian serials, things can only get better, is the market sentiment.
Mukta Arts (up 10.27 per cent to Rs 124) advanced on sustained buying after the company said last week that talks for the sale of library rights have been going on for more than a year with Zee Telefilms, Sony Entertainment Television and Star TV Network. Over 145.4 million Mukta Arts shares were traded on the BSE today.
Other media stocks like recent Zee acquisition ETC Networks (up 13.07 per cent to Rs 52.35), Tips Industries (up 11.42 per cent to Rs 156.10), Padmalaya Telefilms (up 7.60 per cent to Rs 160.65) and Adlabs Films (up 6.86 per cent to Rs 70.85), also gained ground.
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.
