News Broadcasting
Garg and glory as News18 tunes into a tribute for Zubeen’s legacy
MUMBAI: Some voices don’t just fill the air, they fill an entire people. And when Assam remembers Zubeen Garg, it doesn’t hum along, it breathes in rhythm. News18 Assam Northeast is set to celebrate the birth anniversary of one of the region’s most treasured artistes with a special tribute telecast on 18 and 19 November, airing exclusively from 7:50 pm onwards. The two-day programme promises to immerse viewers in the life, music, and unmatched cultural impact of a man whose songs continue to echo across generations.
Zubeen Garg wasn’t merely a chart-topping singer; he was a creative force who shaped the sonic and emotional landscape of Assam for more than three decades. Composer, performer, actor, activist his influence spilled far beyond the stage, evolving into a social conscience that spoke for the Assamese spirit.
To honour his legacy, News18 Assam Northeast hosted a celebratory evening on 14 November in Guwahati, gathering musicians, admirers, and cultural stalwarts. What unfolded was less an event and more a collective exhale, a community remembering the man whose melodies stitched together their festivals, heartbreaks, rebellions, and quiet nights.
The evening saw soul-stirring performances from some of the industry’s most respected voices. Mahalakshmi Iyer and Joi Barua revisited Zubeen Garg’s most beloved tracks with emotional depth, while an ensemble of Assam’s leading artistes including Diganta Bharati, Pranamika Goswami, Bhaswatii Bharati, Rupam Bhuyan, Barnali Kalita, Sajan Nayak, Mousam Gogoi, Arundhati Bhanupriya, Papori Gogoi, Prashanta Rajkhowa, Janam Kashyap, Alangkrita–Rupangkrita, Surekha Chetri, Minakshi Kalita, Nahid Afrin, and Panchuna Rabha delivered heartfelt renditions that celebrated his legacy across genres and generations.
Every performance became a reminder of why Zubeen Garg is not only adored but deeply woven into Assam’s cultural fabric. His songs from anthems that electrified Bihu grounds to ballads that travelled quietly through bedroom radios form a soundtrack that is both personal and collective.
With this special telecast, News18 Assam Northeast pays homage to an artist who transcended celebrity. Zubeen Garg didn’t simply make music; he made meaning. He became an era, an emotion, and a binding force for Assam, one that continues to resonate in every corner of the state.
As viewers tune in to this tribute, they won’t just be watching a programme. They’ll be stepping into a memory, a feeling, a song, one that still belongs to everyone who ever called Zubeen theirs.
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.
