Television
Pankaj Rathod takes charge of History TV18 revenue at Network18
The chief revenue officer adds the factual entertainment channel to an already sprawling broadcast portfolio
MUMBAI: Pankaj Rathod has a bigger brief. The chief revenue officer for English and business channels at Network18 Media & Investments has been handed additional responsibility for leading revenue at History TV18, expanding a portfolio that already spans CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNBC Bajar, and CNN News18.
Rathod, who has been in the role since October 2025, announced the expanded mandate this week, describing History TV18 as “not just a channel but a powerful storytelling platform that brings together knowledge, curiosity and entertainment in a way few mediums can.”
The pitch to advertisers is straightforward. Infotainment, Rathod argues, sits at a distinctive intersection in an era of fragmented content consumption, offering brands a more meaningful and immersive way to reach discerning, engaged audiences. “Looking forward to building stronger partnerships, unlocking new possibilities for advertisers, and taking this incredible brand to the next level,” he said.
Rathod brings considerable firepower to the role. He joined Network18 in April 2024 as national revenue head for the CNBC universe and CNN News18, before being elevated to chief revenue officer for English and business channels six months later. Prior to Network18, he spent five years at CNBC-TV18, rising to national sales head. Before that, he logged six and a half years at Times Now, where he managed ad sales across BFSI, auto, education, FMCG, and telecom verticals. Earlier stints include TV18 Broadcast, Zee Entertainment, ABP Group, and Tata Infomedia.
It is a career built entirely in media sales, across print and television, spanning two decades and some of India’s most competitive broadcast properties. History TV18 now gets the full weight of that experience. For the channel’s advertisers, that is probably good news.
Sports
Prasar Bharati enters race for FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcast rights
With JioStar and Sony sitting on their hands, India’s public broadcaster may be the only bidder left standing for the world’s biggest football tournament
NEW DELHI: For a global sporting event of this scale, the silence from India’s private broadcasters has been deafening. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup months away, no Indian broadcaster has secured rights to the tournament and the ones with the deepest pockets are in no hurry to change that.
FIFA, accustomed to competitive bidding for its marquee property, finds itself in the unfamiliar position of chasing buyers in India. It had initially set an eye-watering asking price for a bundled package covering the 2026 and 2030 tournaments. When that failed to move the market, the price was cut significantly. Even then, JioStar and Sony, the two broadcasters who have historically written big cheques for big events, have not bitten.
The reasons are not hard to find. Cricket still commands India’s advertising rupees with a grip that football cannot match. Worse, the 2026 edition is hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, which means most matches will kick off late at night or in the early hours for Indian viewers, precisely the slots that make advertisers nervous and audiences thin.
Into this vacuum steps Prasar Bharati. The public broadcaster operates on a different calculus entirely: accessibility over profit, reach over returns. If it secures the rights, Indian football fans could watch the tournament on free-to-air television without paying a paisa. For FIFA, it would mean a deal. For Doordarshan, it would mean relevance.
The irony is rich. A tournament that private broadcasters once jostled to air may end up on the same government-owned channel that has been carrying state funerals and budget speeches for decades. FIFA wanted a bidding war; it got a waiting room. If Prasar Bharati ends up as the last man standing, both sides will have to pretend that was the plan all along.
