GECs
Insat 4-A installed in payload dispenser system for 22 Dec launch
MUMBAI: India’s communication payload Insat-4A has been installed atop its Sylda multi-payload dispenser system ahead of its 22 December launch onboard an Ariane 5 generic launcher from the European Space port of Kourou in French Guiana.
The satellite, the heaviest of the Indian communication satellites, carries a mixed payload of 12 Ku-band and 12 C-band transponders. It is also the first in India’s new Insat-4 telecommunications spacecraft series that will provide coverage over the Indian subcontinent. The 12 Ku Band transponders have been leased out to the new Tata-Sky joint venture for direct-to-home (DTH) transmission using Vsats. These transponders could offer DTH customers a bundle of 150 television channels.
The action occurred inside the Ariane 5 final assembly building. As can be seen in the picture featured alongside, Insat-4A is lowered into the assembly fixture, with its Sylda dispenser visible at the bottom center of the photo.
The mated Insat-4A/Sylda unit is to be integrated with the protective payload fairing, and this combination will be positioned over Europe’s MSG-2 second-generation metrological satellite on top of Ariane 5 to complete the payload “stack.”
Liftoff of the Ariane 5 Generic vehicle with Insat 4A and MSG-2 is set for 21 December (around 2 am on 22 December India time).
The MSG-2 platform will provide high-resolution images of the Earth’s weather activity, and is to measure the planet’s radiation balance for information on climate change.
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.
