News Broadcasting
Shah predicts bigger majority for Modi in ’19: India TV conclave
MUMBAI: If the super-charged atmosphere, excitement, interactivity & the supreme participation is to be believed, India TV’s full-day mega conclave Samvaad seems to have again hit the right chord with the audience, even with its second edition.
The who’s who from the corridors of power were seen participating passionately at the daylong Conclave held to analyse the three years of Narendra Modi’s government. Leading the pack was BJP president Amit Shah, fresh from his poll victories in UP, Uttarakhand, BMC and MCD elections. Shah went on to predict that even if the entire opposition united, the NDA led by Modi will secure a bigger majority in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Another headline came from Home Minister Rajnath Singh who hinted at the imminent possibility of another ‘surgical strike’. Surface transport minister Nitin Gadkari outlined his ambitious new projects. Textile minister Smriti Irani said that she would love to have a live debate with her Amethi rival Rahul Gandhi, while the law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad spoke of his government’s opinion of ‘triple talaq.’
The afternoon session delved deep into the controversial issues, including a fiery debate on Ayodhya dispute, featuring MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and BJP leader Dr Subramanian Swamy and the Kashmir issue with pro-separatist lawyer Shabnam Lone crossing swords with J&K Deputy CM Nirmal Singh and Congress leader Manish Tewari.
India TV editor-in-chief Rajat Sharma, along with channel’s leading anchors, grilled the illustrious participants including political heavyweights from the opposition benches.
In his welcome address, India TV chairman Rajat Sharma outlined the highs & lows of the ruling regime, people’s expectations etc. while also drawing attention towards the charges made by the opposition, as he set the ball rolling for the day.
MD & CEO Ritu Dhawan on India TV delivering yet another hugely successful Event said, “We are immensely pleasured by the type of unparalleled participation we manage to get for our initiatives.”
“Not only does an effort like this touches the audiences in the best of the ways, this gets multiplied with the scale of the differentiated sets we specially create. This eventually becomes an intellectual and a visual treat for our audience,” she added.
News Broadcasting
DNPA names Puneet Gupt chairperson; Anant Goenka steps in as vice chairperson
Leadership reset comes as digital news grapples with AI-led disruption and policy battles
NEW DELHI: India’s digital news lobby has a new pilot at the helm just as the industry stares down its next big disruption. The Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) has named Puneet Gupt, chief operating officer at Times Internet, as chairperson, succeeding Mariam Mammen Mathew at the end of her two-year term.
Gupt, who previously served as vice chairperson, steps into the top role with deep familiarity of the body’s agenda, ensuring a smooth transition at a time when publishers are recalibrating for an AI-shaped future. Anant Goenka, executive director at The Indian Express Group, has been appointed vice chairperson, while Dhruba Mukherjee continues as treasurer.
“Digital news publishers are navigating one of the most consequential shifts the industry has ever seen, from how content is discovered to how it is valued in an AI-driven world. DNPA’s role as a unified industry voice has never mattered more. My focus will be on ensuring that our members are not just responding to these changes, but actively contributing to the policy and industry frameworks around them,” said Puneet Gupt.
Goenka underscored the need for collective action as the sector evolves. “This is an important moment for DNPA and for the digital news publishing industry in India. There is real value in publishers coming together, sharing perspectives, and building a common understanding of the opportunities and challenges ahead. I look forward to contributing to that effort with DNPA members,” he said.
Outgoing chairperson Mariam Mammen Mathew called it a timely transition. “It has been a privilege to lead DNPA at such a pivotal time for the industry. I am confident that under Puneet’s leadership, DNPA will continue to grow in influence and impact. I wish the new team every success,” she said.
Sujata Gupta, secretary general and chief executive officer at DNPA, framed the shift as a springboard for the next phase. “This transition marks an exciting new chapter for DNPA. We have spent the last few years building the credibility, relationships, and frameworks that allow us to engage meaningfully on the issues that matter most to our members. With Puneet and Anant at the helm, we are well-positioned to translate that foundation into tangible outcomes, on policy, on fair commercial frameworks, and on ensuring that digital news publishing remains a sustainable and vital part of India’s information ecosystem,” she said.
The leadership rejig lands at a moment when digital publishers are battling shifting discovery patterns, platform power and the economics of AI. For DNPA, the message is clear: the next phase will be less about reacting and more about shaping the rules of the game.
