MAM
IBF-AAAI resolve net billing issue
MUMBAI: The stalemate between the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) and the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) on the net billing issue has been resolved and the blackout by the former on accepting TV ads has been lifted.
According to IBF board member and Star India CEO Uday Shankar: “We have an agreement to do net billing. But we have also created a mechanism in the invoice and contract to enable agencies to charge the fees separately from advertisers effective 1 May.”
An IBF board meeting is scheduled for later today, revealed Shankar, in order to communicate to broadcasters to resume ads.
As per the solution hammered out by the two: the invoices that broadcasters raise to agencies will have a rider below which states that the advertiser and agency are free to have a compensation relationship which is as per accepted industry practice. The agencies will then charge clients their commissions on top of that in the bills they present to them.
“Basically, what this means is that the broadcaster can bill the agency Rs 85 for a Rs 100 value TV spot,” says an industry veteran. “The agency can then bill the client for an amount not exceeding 1.1765 of the net value of the bill.”
TV commercials are expected to begin airing on channels from today.
Brands
Hiili names Sanjay Hemady as country manager India
Media veteran to drive digital decarbonisation push
MUMBAI: Climate tech firm Hiili has announced its entry into India, appointing industry veteran Sanjay Hemady as India country manager to steer its growth in one of the world’s fastest-expanding digital markets.
Hemady, a familiar name across India’s media and consulting circles, will lead Hiili’s India operations from Mumbai. His mandate is clear: help Indian companies measure, manage and reduce the carbon emissions generated by their digital services.
Hiili offers a scientifically validated platform, certified by the UC3M-Santander Big Data Institute, that enables businesses to improve the efficiency of their digital infrastructure while cutting emissions. As organisations race to meet ESG targets, the company positions itself as a practical bridge between climate pledges and measurable action.
“I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as country manager, India at Hiili,” Hemady said in a LinkedIn post, adding that the company aims to move beyond broad sustainability promises towards precise, science-based decarbonisation.
Hemady brings more than three decades of experience spanning print, television, radio and digital media. He has previously served as chief executive officer at HIT 95 FM, assistant general manager at CNBC TV18, and held leadership roles at MTV India and The Indian Express, among others. Most recently, he worked as an independent business consultant advising firms across media and technology.
With India’s digital economy expanding at pace, the environmental cost of data, streaming and online services is climbing quietly in the background. Hiili’s bet is that carbon efficiency will soon sit alongside cost efficiency in boardroom conversations.
For Hemady, the move marks a shift from selling airtime and ad inventory to championing climate accountability. If successful, Hiili’s India play could make digital growth not just faster, but cleaner too.
