News Broadcasting
Sony BBC Earth gears up for launch of ‘A Perfect Planet’
MUMBAI: In Sir David Attenborough’s words –“This is the most important story of our time.”
A Perfect Planet explores how everything about our world is perfectly suited to our existence. For the first time, this series focuses on the powerful natural forces –volcanoes, sun, the weather and the ocean currents – all of which work together in an intricate balance to make Earth the only planet in the solar system that can support life. But how does this occur? Unfolding the varied aspects of our natural world and how they blend to create life, Sony BBC Earth is ready for the premiere of A Perfect Planet on 8 March 2021.
Shot over four years, across 31 countries and six continents, this five-part series narrated by Sir David Attenborough shows how animals of all shapes and sizes perfectly adapt to whatever the environment throws at them. While the first four episodes define the power of volcanoes, sunlight, weather, and oceans, the finale episode highlights the dramatic impact of the world’s newest force –humans, and what can be done to restore the equilibrium and protect life on our unique and precious planet.
Ensuring that the audience doesn’t miss out on this spellbinding visual experience due to the pandemic, Sony BBC Earth hosted a first of its kind exclusive virtual premiere ahead of the Indian television premiere. The channel created an immersive virtual experience by bringing alive the beauty and grandness of the series and offering a glimpse of all the five episodes, from the comfort of their homes. The screening was open to celebrities, media, and winners chosen out of a contest on social media and school students across the country. The virtual premiere is open for everyone to watch till 14 March at https://sonybbcearth-aperfectplanet.com/
The channel has tied up with Grow-Trees, a web-enabled, cost-effective platform to plant several trees on behalf of prominent celebrities from the industry and sent out hampers with personalised certificates under their name. Celebrities like Tahira Kashyap, Sonali Bendre, Hina Khan, Mini Mathur, Nakuul Mehta, Pooja Gor, amongst others took to their Instagram advocating the thoughtful initiative and giving a shoutout to the series premiere.
Beyond the virtual premiere, the series is promoted strongly on social media through a month-long campaign. With the aim of making the series more appealing to digital first audiences, Sony BBC Earth is also creating co-branded promotional content with popular social media influencers Abhishek Upmanyu and Jordindian.
The channel has also put out animated, 3D-effect social media posts and will host an Insta Live with series producer Huw Cordey on the day of the premiere.
Sony Pictures Networks India English channels EVP & business head Tushar Shah said, "A Perfect Planet is yet another milestone series from Sir David Attenborough that presents the story of earth's power and fragility and drives a powerful message about how human actions are impacting the perfect balance of natural forces. Through this one-of-a-kind virtual premiere, our endeavour was to deliver a truly immersive viewing experience to audiences in an impactful manner. This has been yet another digital-first and innovative initiative that reinforces our brand promise."
News Broadcasting
Senior media executive Madhu Soman exits Zee Media
Former Reuters and Bloomberg leader says he leaves with “no regrets” after brief stint at WION and Zee Business
NOIDA: Madhu Soman, a veteran of global newsrooms and media sales floors, has stepped away from Zee Media Corporation after a short stint steering business strategy for WION and Zee Business.
In a reflective LinkedIn note marking his departure, Soman said his time within the network’s corridors was always likely to be brief. “Some chapters close faster than expected,” he wrote, signalling the end of a nearly two-year spell in which he oversaw both editorial partnerships and commercial strategy.
Soman joined Zee Media in 2022 after more than a decade abroad with Reuters and Bloomberg, returning to India to take on the role of chief business officer for WION and Zee Business. His mandate was ambitious: bridge the newsroom and the revenue desk while expanding digital and broadcast reach.
During the stint, Zee Business reached break-even for the first time since its launch in 2005, while WION refreshed programming and strengthened its digital footprint across platforms such as YouTube and Facebook.
But Soman suggested the cultural fit proved uneasy. Describing himself as a “cultural misfit”, he hinted at deeper tensions between editorial instincts shaped in global newsrooms and the realities of India’s television news ecosystem.
Before joining Zee, Soman spent more than seven years at Bloomberg in Hong Kong as head of broadcast sales for Asia-Pacific, expanding the company’s news syndication business across several markets. Earlier, he held senior editorial roles at Reuters, overseeing online strategy in India and managing Reuters Video Services from London.
His career began in television and wire reporting, including a stint with ANI during the 1999 Kargil conflict, before moving into digital publishing as India’s internet media landscape took shape.
Now, after nearly three decades in broadcast and digital media, Soman is leaving Delhi NCR and returning to his hometown, Trivandrum.
Exhausted, he admits. But unbowed. And with one quiet line that sums up the journey: he didn’t sell his soul — because some things, after all, are not for sale.
