GECs
Digital will not checkmate television anytime soon, says Madison Media’s Vikram Sakhuja
New Delhi: Despite facing a tough competition from digital, Television will continue to remain the preferred option for viewers and brands, said Madison Media and OOH, Group CEO, Vikram Sakhuja, highlighting that TV gives rise to ‘tribal moments’ which digital cannot handle.
“While penetration of digital is very high, it is difficult to get a high amount of reach in a single show. Any advertiser for reach still needs TV. By that token, reach build-up on TV will always be the preferred option,” he said while speaking to Governance Now MD Kailashnath Adhikari during the live telecast of the Visionary Talk series held by the public policy and governance analysis platform.
The industry veteran said that today digital is 30 per cent of AdEx and TV is close to 40 per cent. Within digital, video which really threatens TV is only 5 per cent of Ad Ex and forms a very small part.
Secondly, Sakhuja said that TV gives rise to ‘tribal moments’. He gave the example of live sports and said if people can watch it on big screen TV at night, why would they watch it on the phone when they are at home at night. “These are tribal moments very difficult for digital to handle,” he said. “Digital has to come out with its tribal moments for advertising to really see if it has checkmated TV. Digital is a very powerful force but has it checkmated TV? Absolutely not.”
According to Sakhuja, YouTube will form the base of the video plan in near future and the share of OTT will go up. “With agencies and marketers getting evolved in their video planning more OTT’s will supplement YouTube,” he said, adding that lack of verified data on OTT is a drawback but most responsible agencies are doing seamless TV and video planning.
Responding to the question, if Ad Ex will rebound to pre-pandemic 2019 levels, the advertising veteran said, “At present, we stand on a good level versus the first half of 2019. The second half will depend on if a third wave will happen or if there will be another disruption. If everything goes well our estimates will hold good. I am writing off estimates yet.”
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.
