People
Mr. Punit Goenka honoured with ‘Outstanding Contribution to Media’ Award at AIMA Managing India Awards 2018
19 April 2018, New Delhi: One of the most coveted leadership honours in the country, AIMA Managing India Awards, today awarded Mr. Punit Goenka, MD & CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) with the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Media’ Award.
The 8th edition of the Award ceremony was held today in New Delhi in the presence of Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Sports and Youth Affairs. Chaired by Mr. Sanjiv Goenka, Chairman, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, the jury nominated eminent personalities who are awarded under various categories The AIMA Awards facilitates outstanding achievers who have made a fundamental difference in the industry setting new benchmarks and created an edge above peers for others to emulate.
On being recognised for his contribution, Mr. Punit Goenka said, “I dedicate this award to our Chairman, Shri. Subhash Chandra. It was his pioneering vision, which has sparked up an entire industry in itself, creating millions of jobs across the nation. With the advent of enhanced bandwidth and connectivity, the screens might multiply, their dimensions might change, the prime time might change, but ZEE’s focus on creating extraordinary content, will never change. As pioneers in many aspects than one, ZEE’s entrepreneurial spirit will never let us pause, in taking innovative steps in the realm of media & entertainment.”
Since its inception in 2010, the AIMA Awards have been conferred on leading icons from the Indian industry, media, sport and entertainment. Over the years, AIMA Managing India Awards have become one of the most coveted leadership honours in the country and are greatly value.
Notes to Editors:
About Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL)
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) is a worldwide media brand offering entertainment content to diverse audiences. With a presence in over 173 countries and a reach of more than 1.3 billion people around the globe, ZEEL is among the largest global content companies across genres, languages, and platforms.
With its new brand ideology and purpose – “Extraordinary Together”, ZEEL aspires to provide a unified brand experience and to delight consumers across the world by creating extraordinary entertainment and experiences that inspire to transcend the ordinary and become extraordinary.
ZEEL is present across broadcasting, movies, music, digital, live entertainment and theatre businesses, both within India and overseas. ZEEL has more than 250,000 hours of television content and houses the world’s largest Hindi film library with rights to more than 4,200 movie titles across various languages. ZEEL has also produced several movies for theatrical release and is the fastest growing music label in India. It has presence in the digital space with ‘dittoTV’ and ‘OZEE’ and has also ventured into live events.
More information about ZEE and its businesses is available on www.zeetelevision.com.
People
Senior exec Madhu Soman reflects on stepping away from Indian TV news
Sometimes the toughest story in a newsroom is the one about the newsroom itself.
MUMBAI: For Madhu Soman, a media executive whose career spans more than two decades at global news organisations including Reuters and Bloomberg, the decision to step away from India’s television news industry followed conversations with several leading networks.
Soman returned to India in 2022 to take up a senior leadership role in television news.
He transitioned to the business side of the industry in 2014, joining Bloomberg in Hong Kong to lead broadcast sales, news syndication and strategic partnerships across Asia-Pacific. He held the role for nearly eight years before returning to India.
“WION and Zee Business were the reason I chose to return to India after long years with Reuters and Bloomberg, transitioning from telling stories to selling them,” Soman said.
“The landing strip back home was always narrow, but it was one I was happy to take.”
The stint at Zee Media Corporation Ltd., however, proved shorter than expected.
“It didn’t take very long to realise that my runway within Zee (Media) was going to be rather short,” Soman said.
“Let’s just say I was a cultural misfit.”
Even so, he says the experience had its rewards, including exceptional colleagues and a few good friends.
After stepping away from the organisation, Soman was in discussions about potential roles.
“I spent the better part of the last two years in conversations with a few leading networks, long enough to realise the difference between being unemployed and being unemployable.”
Some of the feedback, he says, was unusually candid.
“Two of them informally told me I’m perhaps one of the best media executives in the television news business. But someone like me fronting a television news network would be considered a business risk,” Soman said in conversation with IndianTelevision.com.
For Soman, the implication was clear.
“A news network fronted by someone whose instincts were formed in journalism rooted in independence, accuracy and editorial distance from power was unlikely to find much favour with the powers that be.”
Beyond the personal dimension of his decision, Soman says the experience reflects broader pressures shaping the news industry today.
“Journalism’s job is simple: ask hard questions and hold power accountable. Keep it honest,” he said.
Quoting former Washington Post editor Marty Baron, he added: “We’re not at war with the government. We’re at work.”
“That principle applies to anyone in a position of influence, whether in government, business, sport or entertainment.”
At the same time, he says the industry faces growing pressures.
“Authoritarian regimes that resist scrutiny, along with rapid technological change including AI, are reshaping and often undermining journalism’s traditional business model.”
“There’s also a growing credibility deficit, as the race for eyeballs rewards whoever delivers the news first rather than whoever confirms it best.”
Having worked on both the editorial and commercial sides of the industry, Soman says he is acutely aware of the economic realities media organisations face.
“Running a media organisation today means being a pragmatic P&L owner. The challenge is to keep investing in strong journalism while making the economics work at a time when a growing share of the industry’s revenue is increasingly being captured by technology platforms.”
“If we drop the ball on accuracy and trust, we do a grave disservice to the democracy we’re meant to serve.”
His experience straddling both content and commerce has shaped his view of how the industry must evolve.
“Good journalism and good business strategy are not opposites,” he said.
“The best media businesses are built when editorial integrity, audience trust and sustainable economics reinforce each other.”
“And ultimately, none of it works without strong teams. Leadership in media is as much about building people and institutions as it is about building products.”
Soman is now preparing to return to his hometown of Trivandrum, barely four years after returning to India.
“Delhi NCR has a way of testing your patience, your stamina and occasionally your sanity,” he says. “But it also leaves you with stories that will last a lifetime.”
“So as I pack up and head home to Trivandrum, I do so with no complaints and no regrets.”
“I didn’t sell my soul. Some things, after all, aren’t for sale.”
Soman’s reflections underscore the tensions between editorial independence, commercial realities and political pressures shaping television news today. His experience offers a window into the challenges facing media leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry. For him, the decision marks a moment to step back after decades spent across global newsrooms and media businesses.
