GECs
Balaji Telefilms reports improved results
BENGALURU: Ektaa Kapoor-led Balaji Telefilms Limited (Balaji Telefilms) reported improved consolidated revenue for the quarter ended 30 September 2017 (Q2 2017-18) as compared with the corresponding quarter a year ago (y-o-y). Revenue from Balaji Telefilms’ recently launched OTT business, ALTBalaji, grew by 53 per cent to Rs 12.33 million in Q2 2017-18 from Rs 8.05 million in the trailing quarter. ALTBalaji was launched on 16 April 2017.
Balaji Telefilms’ total income increased by 6.3 per cent y-o-y to Rs 1,165.71 million from Rs 1,096.6 million. Operating revenue grew by 3.7 per cent y-o-y to Rs 1,097.82 million from Rs 1,059.08 million mainly on higher realisation per hour from its television business or commissioned programmes. While the company reported the same number of commissioned programming hours–240 hours for the current quarter as compared with Q2 2016-17–the realisation per hour in the current quarter was Rs 3.2 million as against Rs 2.6 million in the corresponding quarter a year ago. Its other business besides ALTBalaji, the movies business, reported a decline of 28.8 per cent y-o-y in revenue in the current quarter to Rs 307.55 million from Rs 431.87 million as no films were released during the quarter.
The commissioned programmes business had operating profit of Rs 103.55 million in the current quarter as compared with Rs 79.15 million in Q2 2016-17. The films business reported operating profit of Rs 60.20 million as against operating loss of Rs 259.98 million in the comparative quarter last year. ALTBalaji incurred operating loss of Rs 202.86 million as compared with operating loss of Rs 43.49 million in the trailing quarter.
Balaji Telefilms reported consolidated loss of Rs 138.4 million in Q2 2017-18 as compared with loss of Rs 279.92 million in Q2 2016-17.
Balaji Telefilms’ total expenditure for Q2 2017-18 reduced by 7.2 per cent y-o-y to Rs 1,251.88 million from Rs 1,349.7 million. Cost of production/acquisition and telecast fees in the current quarter increased by 23.6 per cent y-o-y to Rs 971.08 million from Rs 785.45 million. Employee benefits expense during the quarter increased by 23.7 per cent y-o-y to Rs 84.21 million from Rs 68.06 million. Marketing and distribution expenses in the current quarter reduced by 60.3 per cent y-o-y to Rs 77.65 million from Rs 195.47 million. Other expenses rose by 52.4 per cent to Rs 143.54 million from Rs 94.16 million.
GECs
ZEEL overhauls sales structure to chase growth across TV and digital platforms
New structure sharpens digital push as viewing habits fragment fast
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. is reshuffling its sales playbook as it looks to keep pace with a fast-changing media landscape, where audiences are scattered, screens are multiplying and advertisers are following the data.
According to media reports, the rejig is anchored in the company’s push to build a more integrated, data-led monetisation engine, one that can straddle both traditional television and fast-growing digital platforms with equal ease.
At the heart of the move is a reworked sales architecture designed to deliver cross-platform solutions. With connected TV gaining ground and digital consumption surging, ZEEL is aligning its teams to move quicker, think broader and sell smarter.
The restructuring is being led by chief operating officer, advertisement revenue, Sandeep Mehrotra, at a time when the company says it is seeing tremendous growth. The idea is simple: match the right talent to the right opportunity in a market that is anything but static.
As part of the overhaul, several long-serving executives have been elevated to chief sales officer roles across regions and content clusters. Sanjoy Chatterjee will head the east market, while Gunjarav Nayak takes charge of the west along with high-margin verticals such as hmg, brand works, intellectual properties and digital sales. Rajnish Gupta will oversee bengaluru and chennai markets alongside the kannada and tamil clusters.
In other key moves, Divjyot Dhanda will lead hyderabad and kochi markets and manage zee tv, zee keralam and the telugu cluster. Roshan Vasu Kotian will supervise a diverse portfolio including Zee Marathi, &tv, Zee Punjabi, Zee Anmol, Big Magic and Zee Biskope.
The company is also strengthening its bench, appointing national sales heads across retail, regional clusters, digital and brand solutions. Ankur Kapila’s appointment to lead digital sales signals a sharper push into a segment that continues to outpace traditional formats.
Behind the scenes, dedicated strategy and operations roles have been carved out for both linear and digital businesses. Nitin Shetty, Rajkiran Shrivastav and Priya Nambiar will take on key responsibilities to ensure the new structure runs with precision.
The broader aim is clear. ZEEL wants a bigger slice of advertising budgets that are steadily drifting towards digital and connected TV ecosystems. By integrating its offerings, the company hopes to deepen client relationships while unlocking new revenue streams.
The new structure takes effect immediately, with Mehrotra continuing to report to chief executive officer Punit Goenka and steer the company’s advertising revenue strategy. Senior executive Laxmi Shetty will support the transition, with her revised role expected to be announced soon.
In a market where content is everywhere but attention is scarce, ZEEL’s latest move is less about rearranging the org chart and more about staying in the game.
