News Broadcasting
INDigital also reworks STB package; to offer 70 channels in FTA tier
MUMBAI: Even as the Zee Group announced a new improved scheme for its set-top box, Hinduja Group MSO INCableNet also offered an “introductory deal starting from 15 June — Digital STBs at a deposit of Rs 999/- plus a daily rent of Re 1.
The Pay TV services will be provided under the brand name of ‘INDigital’ and will be available to its Cable TV subscribers in Mumbai and Delhi.
And in a major initiative to allay fears that have been expressed about the dreaded carriage fees, INCableNet has gone on record to say that it will, within the basic tier price of Rs 72 (excluding local taxes), provide 70 free-to-air channels. This goes way beyond the government mandate that the cable service provider must offer a minimum of 30 channels in the FTA basic tier package.
A company statement said INCableNet has already placed firm orders for all the other equipment necessary for implementation of CAS, such as digital headends and subscriber management systems.
The introductory offer is valid up to the third week of July, to pass on the benefit of the custom duty concessions announced by the government to customers. INCableNet says it has several more schemes in the pipeline to provide STBs on soft terms.
INCablenet also said it would soon be announcing a helpline number on which consumers can ask their questions regarding the schemes, box promotions, etc.
Also Read:
INCableNet brands conditional access service ‘INDigital’
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.
