News Broadcasting
CEC’s whines on ‘India Shining’ ineffectual?
NEW DELHI: How much validity do chief election commissioner (CEC) TS Krishnamurthy’s utterances on the ‘India Shining’ ad campaign have? For all practical purposes, nothing.
A government official explained that as a bureaucrat, which the CEC’s post is, Krishnamurthy does not have any control over things that are beyond the Election Commission’s jurisdiction.
“If the CEC is so upset about the government spending public money on self-publicity, then the EC should come out with a directive telling the government to stop doing so, instead of making public posturing,” a senior government official said.
On Sunday, after taking over, Krishnamurthy told journalists that it was his ‘personal’ opinion that the government should not misuse public money on publicising itself through campaigns like ‘India Shining,’ which has already cost approximately Rs 800 million and such campaigns would be ramped up as the general election dates draw nearer.
If the CEC is appealing to the moral conscience of politicians, then it’s a different story, but political observers point out that a serving bureaucrat ought not to air personal views, especially if the person concerned holds such an important post as that of a CEC, which has been in the news for activism since the time the organisation had T N Seshan as the CEC in the mid-1990s.
The EC-framed model code of conduct, to be followed by political parties, including the government, only comes into effect about six weeks before the actual polling date(s). During this period, no important policy decisions can be taken as also no activity can be undertaken that can be construed as amounting to publicity for the government or any political party.
After the moral code of conduct comes into effect, the EC can take action against political parties and politicians or issue directives. However, the Press Trust of India quoted Prime Minister A B Vajpayee yesterday as saying, “That the government money is being misused is wrong. It is part of the government’s duty that it should put its achievements before the people. The final decision is with the people.”
The PM also added that what Krishnamurthy is saying is ‘correct’ from his viewpoint and what the government is doing is correct from its point of view.
News Broadcasting
Mihir Bhatt appointed as chief content officer at News18 Studios
The media veteran brings two decades of experience across television, digital and radio to one of India’s biggest broadcast networks, Disney+ Hotstar, Discovery+
NEW DELHI: Network18 has a new strategist in the building. Mihir Bhatt, one of Indian media’s more versatile operators, has joined News18 Studios as chief content officer, stepping into a role that will see him shape content strategy, build multi-platform properties and drive brand partnerships across the network.
Bhatt brings more than two decades of experience spanning television, digital and radio, with a track record of doing something rare in Indian media: combining editorial ambition with hard commercial results. At Times Network, where he served as managing editor and chief business officer of Times Influence, he built one of the industry’s more respected content studios, launching marquee properties such as the India Economic Conclave, the Times Now Summit and Leaders of Tomorrow. He also pushed the network into premium OTT territory through tie-ups with Disney+ Hotstar and Discovery+.
His resume stretches well beyond the studio. Bhatt has led Global Investor Summits for multiple state governments, worked alongside the World Economic Forum and played a pivotal role in launching the Indian Pickleball League. Earlier, as editor of Zee Business, he pioneered investor education initiatives that are still cited as industry benchmarks.
At News18 Studios, Bhatt will report to chief executive S Shivakumar and will oversee the studios execution vertical alongside revenue verticals covering emerging markets and campaigns. Sidharth Saini, Hemanth Kumar and Nimar Sarkaria will work under him.
Rahul Joshi, managing director and editor-in-chief of Network18 Group, made the announcement in an internal communication. “Mihir’s ability to build enduring brands, foster strategic partnerships and navigate a rapidly evolving media landscape will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our position and explore new avenues of growth in the Studios business,” Joshi said.
In a media industry lurching between disruption and reinvention, Network18 has bet on a man who has spent two decades thriving in exactly that chaos. Whether he can do it again, at greater scale, is the question worth watching.
