GECs
Relaunch brings new shows on Channel7
MUMBAI: The management of Channel7 changed hands earlier this year. And the industry was watching what wonders the CNN-IBN editorial team led by Rajdeep Sardesai would work with its programming lineup when it was relaunched. News buffs will not have to wait too long as the channel is relaunching on 5 June with a new on-air look and a tag line to boot – Khabar, Har Keemat par (News, No matter what the cost).
The new shows it is touting include News Centre, Sports Zone, Bombay Dreams and Hot Seat.
An hour long show, News Centre will be anchored by managing editor Ashutosh and will encompass all major news from across the country and abroad providing on-ground reportage, studio interviews and in-depth analysis.
Sports Zone will give a wrapup of key sports stories of the day. Bombay Dreams will zoom in on news from tinsel town and the world of glitz – films and entertainment. Hot Seat’s format will be the talking heads one – with those in the news being grilled one-on-one. Talk shows, debates, crime updates, breakfast shows are also part of the programming mix.
Says Ashutosh:”We have ambitious programming plans for Channel7 including original content designed to appeal to viewers. The focus will be on building a channel that reflects the moment and engages with viewers over important issues of the day. Hard news will be our core offering as we feel sharpness in news has vanished from Hindi news channels.”
“Channel7 and CNN-IBN will complement each other in serving robust and high quality news from every region of the country and relevant global news. Both channels share common values where, CNN-IBN’s baseline; “Whatever it takes” is balanced by Channel7’s “Khabar, Har Keemat Par.” added Channel7 & CNN-IBN editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai.
Channel7’s editorial team comprises of executive editor assignment Mrityunjay Kumar Jha; executive editor – input Prabal Pratap Singh; senior executive producer – output Sanjeev Paliwal; senior editor, bureau chief national Sumit Awasthi; chief of bureau Mumbai Sanjay Prabhakar; deputy editor, programming Rohit Lal and senior editor Prashant Tandon.
Says Director marketing Dilip Venkatraman:“The Hindi News market is not only cluttered but challenging too. We have put in considerable effort in identifying the channel’s positioning,”Khabar, Har Keemat Par” and developed a new logo, look, programming mix that will work in tandem with the positioning to deliver a holistic world class news experience.”
“The synergy shared between CNN-IBN and Channel7 on the positioning platform of hard news will be the key differentiating factor in breaking through the clutter. The advertiser who comes on board of TV18 will enjoy the benefits of being present in all the channels from the Group. This gives them the option of reaching various target groups across the country at the same time. We feel positive that this offering will help us accomplish our sales targets, ” director sales Rajnath Kamath concluded.
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.
