News Broadcasting
ABU readies Bangkok to lead in medium wave digital radio
MUMBAI: Seems like wave of digital radio broadcasting will soon engulf Bangkok. Next month, Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) is all geared to promote introduction of digital radio broadcasting in the medium wave band in Bangkok.
The project is being established in collaboration with the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) and its members including Harris Corp, and the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT).
The project will use an analogue medium wave radio transmitter of NBT, serving Bangkok city, converted for DRM system digital transmissions, says a company release.
Scheduled for inauguration on 10 May 2004 by a high dignitary in the Thai government, the radio will carry regular programmes of high quality for about four weeks. The inaugural ceremony of the digital service will be held in the Radio Thailand head office studio complex in Bangkok, informs the release.
Underlining the importance of the event ABU director technical department Wayne Heads said that the principal objectives of the project were to set up a showcase installation of a medium Wave radio transmitter operating digital services on its regular frequency and to expose this showcase installation to ABU broadcasters in the region. This will enable them to understand implementation issues so that they can use this experience in setting up their own medium wave digital radio trials, he offered.
Heads added that providing digital transmissions to the set manufacturers / dealers and consumers was another significant step, which is expected to kick-start digital radio set availability and listener-ship.
Senior engineers from several ABU radio members and affiliates in the region will participate in the project. The ABU has invited radio set manufacturers to take an active part in this event. The idea is to let them know about the need for getting their receivers into the market. Members of the ABU technical bureau, the ABU’s governing body for technical activities, will also participate in the digital radio event, as the Bureau will meet for its mid-year meeting in Bangkok around that time, says the release.
An associated event will be a six day Digital Radio Transmission Workshop (10-15 May) that will be held in the NBT Training Institute. The workshop will be run by experts from Deutsche Welle and Merlin VT (both members of the ABU and DRM) who will address digital conversion issues and also assist workshop participants to carry out signal coverage measurements in Bangkok city.
NBT executive director, engineering promotions Yothin Trikumut offered that both the ABU and NBT see a high potential in transition of medium wave radio services into the digital domain in the region.
Apart from providing improved quality and other enhancements for listeners, digital radio in the medium wave will bring improvement to the congestion situation. Significantly, the digital system will enable around 40 per cent savings in electricity bills at transmitter sites. It has been estimated that the cost of a new medium wave transmitter can be recovered after 10-12 years of service purely from the electricity bill savings.
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.
