News Broadcasting
First Asian American network set for August launch
MUMBAI: Now Asians residing in the US will have a television network catering to their needs. ImaginAsian Entertainment has announced that it will provide cross-platform entertainment targeting over 14 million Asian-Americans residing in the US.
The company’s first venture will be ImaginAsian TV (iaTV), It will launch in August as the first national, 24-hour Asian-American television network. The announcements were made today by the company’s CEO Michael Hong.
ImaginAsian TV has signed multi-volume programming deals with television companies such as the saas bahu queen Balaji Telefilms, China Movie Channel (CCTV 6), Japan’s TV Asahi, Vietnam Media, South Korea’s Game TV, Asian News International.
The network will be fully ad supported. ImaginAsian TV will offer premiere the best programmes that Asia has to offer as well as original productions developed and produced by the network. The schedule will consist of feature films, drama series and sitcoms, news, variety and game shows, animation, children’s programs, music videos, sports, documentaries and more.
A company release informs that all the in-language programmes will be subtitled by ImaginAsian TV’s in-house translators, and during prime-time, English-speaking hosts will introduce and provide commentary about the programmes being shown.
ImaginAsian TV has stated that it has reached its first major distribution agreement a full seven months prior to its launch later this year and is in latter-stage negotiations with major MSOs around the country. ImaginAsian TV has signed an affiliation agreement with Equity Broadcasting Corp which is one of the largest broadcast station groups in the US. This signals a landmark shift in the way Asian media is distributed in this country.
Hong added “The time has come to reassess the platform in which Asian media is traditionally placed. While it may have been acceptable ten years ago to relegate Asian media to premium tiers, it is our belief that in most major markets today, a channel of this quality and reach should be available as a basic service.”
Through the agreement with Equity Broadcasting ImaginAsian TV has gained access to more than 1.6 million households. Through a separate distribution agreement with Silk Road, ImaginAsian TV will be available via the broadband provider’s US subscriber base as a linear channel. ImaginAsian TV will also provide Video On Demand content and marketing support as the product is rolled out in North America.
News Broadcasting
GenNext takes charge as Network18 reshuffles leadership
With Avinash Kaul bowing out, Network18 hands reins to younger leaders, streamlines operations, and pushes data-driven growth across TV, digital and regional markets
MUMBAI: Network18 is redrawing its leadership map just as a long-time lieutenant bows out. Avinash Kaul, a central figure in the broadcaster’s rise since 2014, is leaving after 12 years to pursue “professional and personal goals”, triggering a broad-based reshuffle that puts a younger cohort directly under the top brass.
Kaul joined at a pivotal moment during the company’s transition and went on to scale the television business, combining strategic nous with data-led decision-making and a sharp read of the news landscape. “Avinash has been an integral part of the Network18 story,” the company said, thanking him for his leadership of the broadcast business and wishing him the best for the future.
In his wake, Network18 is betting on what it calls a “young and restless” leadership bench. “The team has taken charge and proved its mettle in quite adverse circumstances,” the note said, adding that “GenNext has seamlessly stepped in as we continue to outperform our peers.”
Operationally, the structure is being flattened. Smriti Mehra, S Shivakumar and Mitul Sangani will work directly with the top leadership, as they did in the fourth quarter. Ganesh Iyer and Abhinay Chauhan continue in their existing roles, while younger executives are being handed wider mandates across social, digital, connected TV and linear.
The reporting lines are being tightened to drive revenue and product momentum. Prabhat Chatterjee, business head–Forbes, and Arun Thapar, president–content and communication for AETN-18, will report to Smriti Mehra, alongside Mallika Nath Handa, who will lead special projects spanning new shows and non-linear properties. Jayesh Gokalgandhi, CFO for AETN-18, will report to Ramesh Damani.
Mitul Sangani will oversee expansion in Hindi and regional markets, with Sidharth Newatia, CRO–ILC, focusing on reach and revenue growth, particularly in tier-II and III markets. Pankaj Soni, head of marketing–ILC, will also report to Sangani while working functionally with Ganesh Iyer.
The group is also consolidating its branded content play. Moneycontrol’s branded content business will be folded into News18 Studio, with Don Zarrar moving to work with Shivakumar while continuing to lead existing studio and Focus teams.
International and platform growth are being bundled together. Pranav Bakshi takes on additional charge of the international business alongside connected TV and social platforms, with Naveen Mathur, who leads revenue management for the international unit, reporting to him. Bakshi continues to report to Puneet Singhvi.
On the technology and operations side, Rajesh Sharma, head of broadcast technology and IT; Rahul Singh, head of events and technical operations; and Bhupender Bhardwaj, head of IT security, will now report to Singhvi. Darshil Parekh, head of sales strategy, planning and operations, will work directly with Ramesh Damani and the top leadership, with Stanley Cyril, who manages digital sales operations, reporting to him.
Data is being pushed to the centre of decision-making. Jitamitra Mohanty, who leads research and analytics, will now work with Santosh Menon to turn audience data into “actionable insights that drive content strategy, product innovation and sustainable viewership growth”.
The message is clear: fewer layers, faster calls, sharper bets. With Kaul’s exit closing one chapter, Network18 is handing the wheel to a younger crew and doubling down on scale across screens. The race, it signals, will be run at full tilt.
