GECs
Carl D. Folta is Viacom executive VP, corporate communications
MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Viacom has appointed Carl D. Folta as executive VP, corporate communications.
Folta, who will serve as Viacom’s chief communications strategist and spokesperson, will report to Viacom senior executive VP and chief administrative officer Thomas E. Dooley. Folta, most recently served as executive vice president, office of the chairman.
In his new role, he will be responsible for Viacom’s overall communications activities, both internally and externally, as well as the coordination of communications at the Company’s operations, including MTV Networks, Bet Networks, the Paramount Motion Picture Group and Famous Music. Folta will have oversight for all financial communications, and will direct the Company’s media relations activities for industry issues and public affairs, including regulatory, legislative and legal matters.
Additionally, he will be responsible for managing corporate events and overseeing the Company’s philanthropy activities and public affairs programs, including Know HIV/Aids, the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning cross- platform public education partnership with CBS and Kaiser Family Foundation, which he initiated in 2003.
Viacom president and CEO Philippe Dauman said, “Carl is a consummate communications professional who understands the strategic and financial complexities of our businesses and the industry. I know he will make a big contribution to Viacom in the future as we continue to expand and embrace the opportunities of the digital age. I am also pleased that I will have the opportunity to continue to work with Carole and that Viacom will continue to benefit from her knowledge, experience and talent as she moves to her new role at MTV Networks.”
Dooley said, “Carl is a highly effective leader and a seasoned communications councelor with more than 25 years of experience in every aspect of the public relations field, including financial and investor communications. I couldn’t be more pleased to be teaming up with him again.”
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
