NEW DELHI: TV Today distribution and network development head Amitabh Srivastava has finally quit and is set to join Disney India.
According to TV Today sources, the company has accepted Srivastava’s resignation, which was sent last week.
Interestingly, Srivastava had put in his resignation earlier this year in February too but it was not accepted, following which, he had withdrawn the same.
The Aroon Purie-controlled TV Today is the parent company for news channel leader Aaj Tak and its English sibling, Headlines Today. Though TV Today sources confirmed the development, company’s official spokesperson was not available for comments. TV Today CEO G Krishnan too is said to be out of Delhi and was not available for a reaction.
Quizzed on the issue, Walt Disney Television International (India) head of marketing and communication Hema Govindan told indiantelevision.com, “We don’t comment on speculations.”
Though Disney India has got most of its senior executives in place now, a national distribution and network development head has not been announced yet. In a fragmented and complex cable TV market, which is witnessing action in the kids channel segment with several launches this year, Disney India would be needing an experienced and aggressive distribution head to gain momentum
Srivastava has worked in several media companies, including BBC World’s Indian operation. He was part of the core team at TV Today, which helped in launching first Aaj Tak and then Headlines Today.
Like last time, rumours about Srivastava’s departure had been doing the rounds of the industry from the date Disney launched two channels in India. He is likely to take up his fresh assignment sometime next month. At the moment, he is on a month’s notice period.
With Srivastava’s imminent departure — earlier this year he had, reportedly, negotiated with Rajat Sharma’s India TV too — TV Today seems to be experiencing a round of desertions as some other colleagues of his from the distribution team are said to have quit in the recent past.