MAM
TV eats into ad shares of radio, print in South India: TAM
MUMBAI: TAM Media Research – a joint venture between global media research organisations, Nielsen and Kantar has released the very first and one-of-its-kind, comprehensive go-to-market AdEx study for South India. ‘The Southside Story 2018’ shows a sharp increase in the advertising potential in the southern market as media outlets are growing at an exponential rate. One third of all India advertisers are spending in the southern market.
The year 2018 was dominated by television followed by radio FM in the share of advertising. The advertising pie (in terms of ad insertions) had 79 per cent share of television and 16 per cent share of radio. In terms of ad insertions, print ranked last with a low 4 per cent share.
The report shared, “The number of TV Channels has increased by 45 per cent (2014: 137 to 2018: 199). Year 2018 had over 66,000+ advertisers/ 86,000+ brands advertising across 690+ categories in TV, print and radio.”
The sectoral analysis within the report reveals that personal care is the highest contributor to the advertisements on south Indian TV, the services sector is focusing majorly on the radio, and the auto sector advertises the most on print. The top 10 common advertisers contributed 25 per cent of ad insertion share in the Southern market during the year 2018, whereas from 2014-17 it was 33 per cent.
The state-wise details for the period between 2014 and 2018 reveal that the share of ad insertions on Andhra Pradesh was dominated by television, which stood at 70-78 per cent. Television ruled the ad shares in Karnataka as well, with insertions ranging from 67-77 per cent, which also substantially ate into the pie of radio and print.
Brands
PRCI appoints Baldev Raj as Delhi chapter chairman
Six-month leap signals push for bold, AI-led shift in communications strategy
NEW DELHI: Public Relations Council of India has appointed Baldev Raj as chairman of its Delhi chapter, marking a swift elevation just six months after he took on the role of vice chairman.
The move comes amid growing churn in the communications industry, with trust deficits and misinformation reshaping how brands engage with audiences. According to the latest Edelman Trust Barometer, public trust in institutions continues to decline, while concerns around misinformation remain high.
Industry insiders say Raj’s rapid rise reflects the momentum he has built at Prius Communications, which has picked up five major industry awards in the past four months. His appointment signals PRCI’s intent to bring sharper, more future-facing leadership to the fore.
Under his leadership, the Delhi chapter is set to roll out a series of initiatives aimed at repositioning public relations as a strategic business function. These include an AI ethics and integration framework, a C-suite advisory council, and a revamped young communicators programme focused on mentorship and leadership development.
Commenting on the appointment, Public Relations Council of India chairman emeritus and chief mentor M. B. Jayaram said, “This wasn’t a question of succession; it was a question of strategic necessity. Baldev’s track record of innovation made it clear that we needed his vision and velocity at the helm now.”
For his part, Baldev Raj framed the role as a turning point for the profession. “Our profession stands at a crossroads. We can either be consumed by the tidal wave of AI-generated noise, or become the strategists who restore trust and clarity,” he said. He added that the focus will be on a ‘human plus machine’ approach, blending artificial intelligence with human insight.
Raj, founder of Prius Communications, operates across reputation management and strategic advisory, with specialised verticals in healthcare and brand consulting.
With this leadership shift, PRCI appears to be betting on speed, strategy and a stronger voice for communicators at the decision-making table.
