GECs
Govt moots net worth norm for channels
NEW DELHI: The Indian government has mooted a proposal of minimum net worth for all TV channels uplinking from India on the lines of norms prevalent in other industries like banking.
According to the proposal, all news channels uplinking from India should have a declared net worth of approximately Rs. 30 million, while a non-news channel ought to have a net worth of Rs. 15 million.
Though these minimum net worth amounts are “ridiculously low”, according to broadcast industry observers, the government feels it might help in increasing investment from the private sector as also weed out non-serious players.
As per the proposal under consideration of the information and broadcasting ministry, for every subsequent channel from a company the net worth criteria would decrease.
In the news category, additional channels from the same group would have to have a net worth of Rs. 20 million, while in the non-news category a Rs. 10 million net worth would suffice for additional channels.
So, for example, if company X has three news channels in its portfolio, the net worth of the first channel would be Rs. 30 million, while the remaining ones would have to be worth Rs. 20 million. For a three news channel bouquet, it would be Rs. 30 million+Rs. 20 million+Rs 20 million.
These proposals are part of the changes that the government proposes to bring about in the uplinking norms. As part of a proposed downlink policy, similar minimum net worth criteria is being mulled for channels being uplinked from outside and beamed into India.
What is not clear is whether these proposed norms would be applicable on all channels uplinking in C-band or for those doing so in KU-band.
The government proposes to allow KU-band uplinking for all channels and teleports, which, at the moment, is not allowed presently, except in exceptional cases like a traditional DTH service.
GECs
ZEEL overhauls sales structure to chase growth across TV and digital platforms
New structure sharpens digital push as viewing habits fragment fast
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. is reshuffling its sales playbook as it looks to keep pace with a fast-changing media landscape, where audiences are scattered, screens are multiplying and advertisers are following the data.
According to media reports, the rejig is anchored in the company’s push to build a more integrated, data-led monetisation engine, one that can straddle both traditional television and fast-growing digital platforms with equal ease.
At the heart of the move is a reworked sales architecture designed to deliver cross-platform solutions. With connected TV gaining ground and digital consumption surging, ZEEL is aligning its teams to move quicker, think broader and sell smarter.
The restructuring is being led by chief operating officer, advertisement revenue, Sandeep Mehrotra, at a time when the company says it is seeing tremendous growth. The idea is simple: match the right talent to the right opportunity in a market that is anything but static.
As part of the overhaul, several long-serving executives have been elevated to chief sales officer roles across regions and content clusters. Sanjoy Chatterjee will head the east market, while Gunjarav Nayak takes charge of the west along with high-margin verticals such as hmg, brand works, intellectual properties and digital sales. Rajnish Gupta will oversee bengaluru and chennai markets alongside the kannada and tamil clusters.
In other key moves, Divjyot Dhanda will lead hyderabad and kochi markets and manage zee tv, zee keralam and the telugu cluster. Roshan Vasu Kotian will supervise a diverse portfolio including Zee Marathi, &tv, Zee Punjabi, Zee Anmol, Big Magic and Zee Biskope.
The company is also strengthening its bench, appointing national sales heads across retail, regional clusters, digital and brand solutions. Ankur Kapila’s appointment to lead digital sales signals a sharper push into a segment that continues to outpace traditional formats.
Behind the scenes, dedicated strategy and operations roles have been carved out for both linear and digital businesses. Nitin Shetty, Rajkiran Shrivastav and Priya Nambiar will take on key responsibilities to ensure the new structure runs with precision.
The broader aim is clear. ZEEL wants a bigger slice of advertising budgets that are steadily drifting towards digital and connected TV ecosystems. By integrating its offerings, the company hopes to deepen client relationships while unlocking new revenue streams.
The new structure takes effect immediately, with Mehrotra continuing to report to chief executive officer Punit Goenka and steer the company’s advertising revenue strategy. Senior executive Laxmi Shetty will support the transition, with her revised role expected to be announced soon.
In a market where content is everywhere but attention is scarce, ZEEL’s latest move is less about rearranging the org chart and more about staying in the game.
