News Broadcasting
Over 60% of BBC APAC’s revenue is from native advertising: Alistair McEwan
NEW DELHI: When native advertising had entered the marketing world, just a few years ago, many questions were raised regarding its feasibility for both advertisers and publishers. From people not trusting sponsored content to it diminishing the credibility of a news publication, doubts loomed large over its future. However, the much-maligned ad format has risen above all that, and how. Forecasts from BI Intelligence, IAB and eMarketer show that global native advertising has grown by 213 per cent in 2020 as compared to 2016. Another report by ADYOULIKE, a leading in-feed native advertising technology, indicates that it will further grow by 372 per cent from 2020 to 2025, reaching a total global value of $402 billion.
In a recent virtual fireside chat with Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO, & editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari, BBC Global News SVP – commercial development for Asia & ANZ Alistair McEwan claimed that around 60-65 per cent of the organisation’s commercial revenue in the Asia Pacific region is driven by native advertising, which they’ve dubbed “commercial content marketing solutions.”
McEwan was speaking on day one of Indiantelevision.com’s virtual conference PubNation (digital & print), organised in partnership with Quintype Technologies and Gamezop.
“We are either producing content directly with and for the brands, or we are commissioning advertiser-funded editorial programming. The sponsorships are thus a very significant amount of our output. But we create this content with the same editorial standards that we do for our other editorial outputs. And actually, that’s why we have seen this enormous growth in branded content,” he elaborated.
McEwan, who had joined the conference from Sydney, added that he is seeing a massive growth coming from India too.
He also highlighted that to tap the full potential of the Indian and global market, when it comes to native advertising, BBC has also put in place its in-house content agency called BBC Content. “We launched in India two years ago and we are now producing a lot of branded content for different organisations, both in public and private sectors.”
PubNation (print & digital) is a two-day-long virtual confluence of the leading publishers, advertisers, and agencies across India. Launched on 9 December 2020, it will dissect hot-button issues including advertising opportunities, the content that will define the future of publications, and technologies that will aid that. You can watch the event live on Indiantelevision.com and its social media handles. For more information, visit (https://www.indiantelevision.com/pubnation/index.html).
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
