Tag: Times Group

  • Who Owns the Media in India? | A Connection of Business, Politics, and More

    Television, Radio, Cinema, Newspapers, Magazines and internet-based Websites and Portals are all various arms of the Indian Media – among the oldest in the world. Out of the 880 satellite TV channels, more than 380 are news channels, several among them relaying current affairs 24×7.

    However, a large number of media outlets and the country’s rich culture and ethnicity do not translate into a variety of news supply. Ironically, the media ownership concentration indicates the opposite and a significant trend towards the control of content and public opinion.

    Who Owns and Runs Indian Media?
    New Delhi Television (NDTV)
    Network18 Media and Investments Limited
    Republic TV
    India News
    Times Now
    Why Do Media Monopolies Flourish?

    Indian Media’s Credibility Crisis during Covid-19

    Who Owns and Runs Indian Media?

    Value of Media and Entertainment Industry in India (2019-2024)
    Value of Media and Entertainment Industry in India (2019-2024)

    There is a strong connection between media, business and politics. Most of the leading media companies are owned by large conglomerates which are controlled by founding families with a vast array of business interests other than media.

    The last few weeks’ news headlines have been bursting with consistent news of the hostile take-over of NDTV by the Adani Group. It seems to be a good place to begin delving into this seemingly bottomless pool of secretive allegiance of the media to its various counterparts.

    New Delhi Television (NDTV)

    Adani Group to Acquire a Majority Stake in NDTV
    Adani Group to Acquire a Majority Stake in NDTV

    The news channel has been openly biased towards the Congress and notoriously anti-BJP in the recent past. It was a majorly held company between a few individuals and corporate groups – Radhika Roy, Prannoy Roy, RRPR Private Holding Ltd. and Oswal Greentech Ltd. The murky ownership of NDTV goes deeper with Radhika Roy being the sister of Brinda Karat, a Rajya Sabha MP from CPI(M). Abhay Kumar Oswal, the owner of Oswal Greentech Ltd., is the father-in-law of Congress MP Naveen Jindal. Prannoy Roy is the first cousin of Arundhati Roy – erstwhile winner of the Booker Prize for her book ‘The God of Small Things.’

    A little over a decade ago, Prannoy and Radhika Roy, borrowed approximately INR 403 crore from Vishvapradhan Commercial Pvt. Ltd. (VCPL), in exchange for warrants allowing them to acquire approximately 29% stake in the news group. The Adani Group acquired VCPL and exercised those rights. In accordance with Indian Regulations, the group put forth an open offer to purchase 26% more from existing shareholders, giving them an opportunity to exit. Adani Group stands to acquire more than a 55% stake in the popular news network, NDTV if the two-pronged strategy succeeds.  

    Network18 Media and Investments Limited

    Formerly known as SGA Finance and Management Service and Network18 Fincap Limited, passed ownership a couple of times and also went through a restructuring and founded a subsidiary called Global Broadcast News (GBN). A series of losses between the years 2008 and 2010 with existing debts drained the company’s funds. In an effort to mitigate its financial losses, the company began restructuring and consolidating its assets. Their efforts proved futile as, after 2011, it faced possible financial collapse and loss of control for its managing director Raghav Bahl. By September 2011, the company had accumulated a debt of INR 1400 crores and was on the lookout for external financing to bail itself out. Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) entered into a partnership with Network18 and infused funds through Independent Media Trust.  

    Over the next couple of years, through a series of business dealings and manoeuvring, RIL succeeded in gaining total control over Network18 Media and Investments Ltd.

    Network18 Owned by Reliance Industries Limited
    Network18 Owned by Reliance Industries Limited

    It is assumed, that the main reason behind RIL gaining control over Network18 was the network’s incessant coverage of Arvind Kejriwal and his allegations against RIL supremo, Mukesh Ambani over the irregularities in the pricing of natural gas in the Krishna-Godavari Basin. No charges were filed, however, and RIL denied the allegations vehemently.  

    Today, Reliance Industries Ltd., through Network18 Media and Investments Ltd., owns TV18 Broadcast, Web18 Software Services, Network18 Publishing and Capital18. Through subsidiaries and franchise licensing agreements, the Network18 group owns and operates news broadcasting networks of News18, ETV and CNBC India channels, Forbes India and Overdrive magazines, Moneycontrol and Firstpost websites.  


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    Republic TV

    Contrary to popular belief, Republic TV and Republic Bharat are both owned and run by ARG Outlier Media Pvt. Ltd, allegedly funded by Rajeev Chandrashekhar. He is the Bhartiya Janta Party member of parliament in the Rajya Sabha and the vice-chairman of the Kerala Wing of the National Democratic Alliance. The general belief is that Republic TV and Republic Bharat are both owned by anchor Arnab Goswami.  

    India News

    This media news channel is owned by former Congress leader Venod Sharma’s son Karthikeya Sharma. Karthikeya Sharma is the brother of Manu Sharma who has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Jessica Lal. Karthikeya Sharma is the owner of ITV Media group operating many news channels including News X.  

    Times Now

    The giant Times Group, owned by Bennett, Coleman and Company Limited, is one of the most powerful and influential media houses in the country. It owns Times of India, Navbharat Times, Mid-Day, Stardust, Femina, Vijaya Times, Vijaya Kannada and Times Now News Channel. A major share in the company is owned by an Italian Robertio Mindo, who is a close relative of Sonia Gandhi.


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    Why Do Media Monopolies Flourish?

    The reason for the foray into the news space by large conglomerates is for the edge that it gives their companies. The acquisition of Network18 by RIL was one of the first corporate takeovers of a news media channel. With RIL’s deep interest in the energy sector, this move was considered a part of a trend of growing commodification of information, detrimental to the treatment of journalism as a public service.

    The reason for these flourishing monopolies can be fairly laid at the door of non-existent laws and regulations that prevent:

    • Horizontal monopolies specific to the media industry
    • Cross-media ownership and vertical integration in the media
    • Disclosure norms for media ownership
    • Media monopolies not linked with a lack of freedom of speech

    In the absence of strict laws, media in India is self-regulated by News Broadcasters Association and Indian Broadcasting Foundation which lays down guidelines, rather than rules.

    Conclusion

    The political affiliations of media channels prior to corporate takeovers have already travelled the path of misinformation, selective information and commodification of information. As one of the biggest media markets in the world, Indian media ownership and control in the hands of a few reflects its inability to report with objectivity and without bias. Be it political, business, religious or any other type of affiliations, journalism needs to be free and clear of such loyalties or biases to be truly a public service, working only for the public interest at large.

    FAQs

    Which is the most-watched news channel in India?

    According to Reuters Institute at Oxford University’s latest report, NDTV 24X7 is the most-watched news channel in India.

    Who is taking over NDTV?

    AMG Media Networks, a subsidiary of Adani Group bought Vishvapradhan Commercial Pvt. Ltd. (VCPL) in exchange for warrants allowing them to acquire approximately 29% stake in NDTV. Adani Group has also announced an open offer to acquire a 26% additional stake in NDTV.

    Which are the top news channel in India?

    The top news channel in India are:

    • NDTV
    • India Today
    • ABP Network
    • Republic TV
    • Times Now
    • Network18
    • Aaj Tak
  • Top 5 Most Extensive Campaign of Times of India

    The Times of India, owned by the Times Group, is the largest English-language daily newspaper globally and among the world’s six best newspapers. It is a trendsetter adhering to the highest standards of journalism.

    The Times of India is tremendously vocal about campaigns for the benefit of India and its people. What makes their campaigns so unique, you ask?

    Their marketing strategy is quite different from other newspapers. They’ve moved away from functional, circulation-based advertising promises. They are now attempting to strike an emotional chord with their audience.

    They’ve employed a range of emotions, from harsh reality to laughter, from a slice of life creative to those honouring a typical day in the life of an Indian. The common thread has been a distinct ‘true to India’ approach, garnered reader approval and a slew of prizes from various advertising functions. The digital marketing team of Times of India is impressive, they have created campaigns that strive to impact every Indian’s life. Now without any further delay, let’s look at The top 5 most extensive campaigns of Times of India.

    1. Lead India Campaign
    2. India Poised Campaign
    3. Flirt With Your City Campaign
    4. Lost Votes Campaign
    5. Scrap Section 377 Campaign

    Here are some of the biggest campaigns of Times of India.

    1. Lead India Campaign

    The ‘Lead India’ programme, which began in August 2007. Times of India deployed a multi-media campaign to raise awareness about the project. The newspaper campaign was saturated with print ads titled ‘D.O.’ with Shah Rukh Khan as the primary face.

    Times of India Lead India Campaign
    Times of India Lead India Campaign

    The Lead India programme’s main objective was to identify new leaders within India’s educated urban middle class. Someone with a socioeconomic stratum that did not often enter politics but aspired to work in business.

    People with this background tend to overlook the local and rural middle classes, which are overly tied to local interests and removed from the cosmopolitan environment of the urban elite.

    This campaign was extensive and successful and inspired the ‘Teach India’ movement by the Times of India.

    2. India Poised Campaign

    The last generation of political leaders’ local democracy is economically and visually unattractive from the ‘old’ middle class. The nation’s economic pulse, according to this vision, is in the urban middle class, which should consequently have political clout. The campaign’s theme song, written by famed poet and lyricist Gulzar, was dubbed “the new anthem.”

    The commercial’s insight was that most people in the country were aware of the country’s economic, political, and social problems. Still, no one wanted to do anything about them.

    People were aware of the solutions to issues, yet they would rather complain than take action. As a result, regardless of their differences or divisions, all people needed to come together. To participate in the race to a bright future, everyone, according to their abilities, irrespective of any handicaps, must become one.

    India Poised was intended as a call to action to involve the general public and instil a sense of empowerment and involvement. Times of India presented the audience with stories of committed individuals, civil society members whose activities are rarely reported in print or television.

    The Times of India urged readers to come forward with proposals for what they thought were the best remedies to problems that plagued significant sectors. At the same time, the advertising in the daily condemned problems that plagued essential industries. Naturally, readers had to register and provide their e-mail address or cell phone number to participate, thereby becoming potential clients for the Times group.

    3. Flirt With Your City Campaign

    This campaign began in June of 2018. A simple observation inspired this ad: everyone has a relationship with the city they choose to live in, perpetuating numerous shared interests, progress, and quality of life. However, city-dwellers eventually get content in their cocoons and self-imposed geographic constraints, which limit their pleasure of the metropolis in which they live. It’s time to rekindle this love affair with the city by informing Times of India readers about the new daily hub for everything city-related.

    From waterholes to starvation zones, for party animals, artists, activists, and everything else that makes their city their city, Times of India’s metro supplements (TIMS) encouraged individuals to flirt with their city because every relationship requires a sense of adventure and shared ideas to succeed.

    This campaign aimed to produce a dynamic anthem for each city, inspired by its own pop culture and featuring the Times of India’s Metro Supplements (TIMS) at the centre.

    As the film wore a city avatar, the campaign’s narrative used Rap as the backdrop, drawn from the traditions of each city, sounds of the city environs, and edgy lyrics. The campaign began with a series of short films that depicted the nuances of their towns and featured several well-known figures.


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    4. Lost Votes Campaign

    Times of India Campaign – Lost Votes Campaign

    When everything is becoming portable and movable in today’s digital age, why is a significant activity like voting, a constitutional right, still bound to our domiciles?

    Over 280 million voters were unable to vote last time because their ballots were not mobile. It’s a startling figure: nearly one-third of India’s voting population! A third of the voting population could completely turn the tide in an election where a few points can make all the difference.

    The Lost Votes campaign enabled people all around the country to ask the government this fundamental question, to the point where the Election Commission has noticed!

    A 360-degree nationwide campaign, Lost Votes is amplified through various media, including editorial content, TV, print, outdoor, activations, and digital advertising. It aims to ensure that everyone, regardless of their location, can exercise their right to vote.

    The effort aims to make people’s votes as mobile as they are. It’s a revolutionary, powerful idea that’s gaining traction, with people from all walks of life demanding the right to vote from anywhere.


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    5. Scrap Section 377 Campaign

    Times of India – Scrap Sec 377 Campaign

    For decades, the LGBT community has been assaulted, arrested, imprisoned, humiliated, obloquy, thrashed, pressured to incarcerate, and stigmatised. Homosexuality is unnatural, according to Section 377, 158-year-old British era legislation that carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.

    In 2009, the Delhi high court ruled that the statute was discriminatory. People should not criminalise a same-sex relationship between two consenting people. Activists and academics applauded the move, believing that India was finally opening up to the rights of sexual minorities.

    Numerous campaigns, notably the Times of India’s “Scrap Section 377,” were launched, signing many petitions. In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court decriminalised sexual interactions between consenting homosexual adults, bringing variety and pluralism to the forefront of India’s public debate.

    It not only overturned the 158-year-old contentious legal provision, but it also signalled the end of prejudice, which it claimed had plagued India.

    FAQ

    When was Times Group founded?

    Times group was founded on 4 November 1838.

    What are the newspapers under the Times group?

    Newspapers under Times Group are:

    • Times of India
    • The Economic Times
    • Navbharat Times
    • Maharashtra Times
    • Ei Samay
    • Mumbai Mirror
    • Vijaya Karnataka
    • Bangalore Mirror

    Which company owns the newspaper The Times of India?

    Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.(B.C.C.L.) owns the Times of India and the Sahu Jain family owns the B.C.C.L.

    Who is the CEO of Times of India?

    Sivakumar Sundaram is the current CEO of Times of India.