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Last few weeks have been very hectic for Times Network MD and CEO MK Anand ever since Arnab Goswami, the flamboyant editor-in-chief of Times Now, quit the organisation after spending more than a decade with it.
For Anand, the immediate focus is to ensure that Times Now remains steady in the wake of the disruption caused by Goswami’s exit. The stakes are too high for Times Network as Times Now is its biggest revenue earner.
However, the Times Network boss can take heart from the fact that the channel has proved naysayers wrong by holding on its numero uno position in the English news genre even after Goswami’s exit. Not only that, it has also managed to retain its market share of roughly 40%.
The channel draws its strength from one show, ‘The Newshour’, the prime-time show which under Goswami became a runaway success contributing almost 60% of the viewership and revenue to the channel. The channel was and continues to be heavily dependent on this show for its sustenance.
But with Goswami out of the picture, that is about to change. Anand is working on a long-term content plan that will see Times Now launching new shows and formats to ease the pressure on ‘The Newshour’.
From being identified with one anchor, that is Goswami, the channel also plans to groom multiple anchors to helm different shows.
“We want to broad-base the channel with more anchors and with more IPs, instead of just one show. Our new content plan is under construction,” Anand told TelevisionPost.com.
He also said that the channel will start promoting other shows where it sees growth opportunity while improving certain shows with better research.
Asked about the impact of Goswami’s exit on the channel, Anand shot back, “We have not had any financial impact to speak of. Our viewership share has remained 41% even after Arnab’s exit. What I am now working on is how we grow from here and reduce dependency on one show.”
Anand also said that the company wants to set the agenda for the next 10 years for Times Now. From being just a linear platform, Times Now needs to have a full range of portfolio including digital, he added.
He also said that Times Now would not weaken without Goswami. “For argument’s sake, I take the point that Times Now’s viewership share in weekdays was due to Arnab. But the channel’s share was the same even during weekends when there was no Arnab,” he contended.
To reinforce his point, Anand said that a news channel can be successful with good content, solid distribution and strong ad sales and marketing. Times Now, he said, ticks all the three boxes.
“Times Now’s distribution is superior to other channels. It has a fantastic brand name and the best news team,” he emphasised.
On the ensuing competition from Goswami’s new channel, Anand cited the example of DNA, which, despite splurging a lot of money, couldn’t make a dent in The Times of India’s position in Mumbai.
“The Times of India withstood competition in Mumbai. Similarly, Times Now has built equity in the TV news space. Consumer loyalty towards brands is strange,” he noted.
Anand also downplayed the impact of Goswami’s exit on ad revenue, stating that the channel has not lost any advertiser. “One can check the publicly available AdEx data from BARC and do a run for October, November and December, and make a comparison for these three months,” he said.
He also added a caveat that certain advertisers would not have been on the platform in November-December due to demonetisation and not because of Goswami’s exit.
“As far as we are concerned, we didn’t sell Arnab; we sold the platform to advertisers. There is no compromise and there will be no compromise on ad rates. Times Group is master of ad sales. There has been no re-negotiation,” he averred.
The Times Network chief also allayed fears of a mass exodus from the channel stating that 8–9 people have quit since Goswami’s exit, which is very much in line with the company’s attrition rate. Times Now content team has a strength of 320 people.
Anand also said that the invoking of non-compete clause against exiting employees is a standard practice.
Times Now to reduce dependency on ‘The Newshour’, says MK Anand | TelevisionPost.com
For Anand, the immediate focus is to ensure that Times Now remains steady in the wake of the disruption caused by Goswami’s exit. The stakes are too high for Times Network as Times Now is its biggest revenue earner.
However, the Times Network boss can take heart from the fact that the channel has proved naysayers wrong by holding on its numero uno position in the English news genre even after Goswami’s exit. Not only that, it has also managed to retain its market share of roughly 40%.
The channel draws its strength from one show, ‘The Newshour’, the prime-time show which under Goswami became a runaway success contributing almost 60% of the viewership and revenue to the channel. The channel was and continues to be heavily dependent on this show for its sustenance.
But with Goswami out of the picture, that is about to change. Anand is working on a long-term content plan that will see Times Now launching new shows and formats to ease the pressure on ‘The Newshour’.
From being identified with one anchor, that is Goswami, the channel also plans to groom multiple anchors to helm different shows.
“We want to broad-base the channel with more anchors and with more IPs, instead of just one show. Our new content plan is under construction,” Anand told TelevisionPost.com.
He also said that the channel will start promoting other shows where it sees growth opportunity while improving certain shows with better research.
Asked about the impact of Goswami’s exit on the channel, Anand shot back, “We have not had any financial impact to speak of. Our viewership share has remained 41% even after Arnab’s exit. What I am now working on is how we grow from here and reduce dependency on one show.”
Anand also said that the company wants to set the agenda for the next 10 years for Times Now. From being just a linear platform, Times Now needs to have a full range of portfolio including digital, he added.
He also said that Times Now would not weaken without Goswami. “For argument’s sake, I take the point that Times Now’s viewership share in weekdays was due to Arnab. But the channel’s share was the same even during weekends when there was no Arnab,” he contended.
To reinforce his point, Anand said that a news channel can be successful with good content, solid distribution and strong ad sales and marketing. Times Now, he said, ticks all the three boxes.
“Times Now’s distribution is superior to other channels. It has a fantastic brand name and the best news team,” he emphasised.
On the ensuing competition from Goswami’s new channel, Anand cited the example of DNA, which, despite splurging a lot of money, couldn’t make a dent in The Times of India’s position in Mumbai.
“The Times of India withstood competition in Mumbai. Similarly, Times Now has built equity in the TV news space. Consumer loyalty towards brands is strange,” he noted.
Anand also downplayed the impact of Goswami’s exit on ad revenue, stating that the channel has not lost any advertiser. “One can check the publicly available AdEx data from BARC and do a run for October, November and December, and make a comparison for these three months,” he said.
He also added a caveat that certain advertisers would not have been on the platform in November-December due to demonetisation and not because of Goswami’s exit.
“As far as we are concerned, we didn’t sell Arnab; we sold the platform to advertisers. There is no compromise and there will be no compromise on ad rates. Times Group is master of ad sales. There has been no re-negotiation,” he averred.
The Times Network chief also allayed fears of a mass exodus from the channel stating that 8–9 people have quit since Goswami’s exit, which is very much in line with the company’s attrition rate. Times Now content team has a strength of 320 people.
Anand also said that the invoking of non-compete clause against exiting employees is a standard practice.
Times Now to reduce dependency on ‘The Newshour’, says MK Anand | TelevisionPost.com
