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.
People
BBC appoints Matt Brittin as 18th Director-General
Former Google EMEA president to lead broadcaster from May amid global change
LONDON: The BBC has named Matt Brittin as its 18th Director-General, placing a seasoned technology and media leader at the helm of one of the world’s most influential public broadcasters. He will formally assume the role on 18 May.
Brittin steps into the position after a brief “gap year”, as he described it, returning to the spotlight with a job that, in his own words, was “probably not one either you or I were expecting”. The appointment signals a strategic tilt towards digital expertise at a time when traditional broadcasting continues to evolve at pace.
The new Director-General brings more than 18 years of experience from Google, where he held several senior roles, including President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. During his tenure, he played a central role in expanding the company’s footprint across Europe and shaping its regional strategy.
More recently, Brittin served as Senior Independent Director at The Guardian, adding boardroom insight from one of Britain’s leading news organisations. His career also spans roles at McKinsey, Trinity Mirror and Sainsbury’s, giving him a broad perspective across media, retail and strategy.
The Director-General position carries dual responsibility as chief executive officer and editor-in-chief, overseeing the BBC’s creative, editorial and operational direction both in the UK and globally. It is a role that demands not just leadership, but a steady editorial compass in an increasingly complex media landscape.
“Now, more than ever, we need a thriving BBC that works for everyone in a complex, uncertain and fast changing world,” Brittin said. He added that the broadcaster remains “an extraordinary, uniquely British asset” with a legacy of innovation in storytelling and technology.
His appointment comes at a moment when public service broadcasters are under pressure to balance tradition with transformation, navigating shifting audience habits, digital disruption and funding debates. Brittin’s blend of Silicon Valley scale and British media sensibility may prove timely.
With “big challenges and big opportunities” ahead, Brittin appears ready to get started. The real test begins in May, when he moves from anticipation to action at Broadcasting House.
