Sakshi TV names Faisal Siddiqui chief general manager, revenue

HYDERABAD: Promotions from within are the quiet backbone of Indian television, rarely making headlines but often making the difference between a channel that merely survives and one that compounds. Sakshi TV’s decision to elevate Faisal Siddiqui to chief general manager, revenue, belongs firmly in the latter category, and it is worth pausing on why.

Siddiqui is not a new face brought in to fix a problem. He has been part of the Sakshi TV story since its inception, more than two decades of television advertising sales and media management condensed into one continuous tenure at a single network. That kind of longevity is increasingly rare in Indian media, an industry where talent typically moves every few years chasing titles or salary bumps. Staying put for 23 years and still being handed a bigger job at the end of it says rather more about performance than any press release could.

The scope of the new role is substantial. Siddiqui will now oversee revenue operations across the west, north, south and east, effectively owning the network’s entire advertising sales machinery rather than a single territory. That is a meaningful vote of confidence, and it reflects a broader truth about regional television in India: revenue growth increasingly depends on leaders who understand both the granular texture of individual markets and the discipline needed to knit them into one coherent national strategy. Few professionals get to operate at that intersection, and fewer still get promoted into it from within.

What stands out in Sakshi TV’s own framing of the appointment is the emphasis on relationships rather than just numbers. Siddiqui is credited with building durable partnerships with advertising agencies, corporate houses and major brands, alongside a customer-centric approach to integrated brand solutions that goes beyond straightforward airtime sales. In a television advertising market where clients increasingly want bundled, monetisable solutions rather than plain spots, that skill set is not a nice-to-have. It is close to the entire job.

There is a broader signal here for regional broadcasting in India, a segment that often gets overshadowed by national networks and streaming platforms in industry commentary, yet continues to deliver steady, sustainable revenue growth year on year. Elevations like this one are a reminder that regional players are not simply holding ground. They are professionalising their revenue functions, investing in leadership continuity, and competing seriously for advertising rupees. Sakshi TV’s bet on Siddiqui looks, on the evidence, like a thoroughly sound one.