Well-positioned to capitalise on monetisation opportunities across TV and digital: News18's Mitul Sangani

As political parties turn more to digital and social media creators for advertising, Mitul Sangani, CEO of Indian-language businesses at Network18, emphasised on the strength of traditional news media, especially television. He highlighted that TV remains robust due to its live nature, offering a prime time for catching up on daily events.

While other content formats may evolve better on OTT and digital platforms, live media retains its stronghold, especially considering the vast demographics of the country, Sangani said.

In conversation with BestMediaInfo, Sangani highlighted that during peak news periods, they are well-positioned to capitalise on monetisation opportunities across both TV and digital platforms. Presently, digital is far bigger, as compared to previous general elections, reflecting the broader trend in the industry.

Priorities outlined for enhancing the performance of News18 Indian-language businesses

“As the CEO overseeing Indian-language businesses at News18 Network, my primary focus is on expanding the performance and viewership of our Indian-language channels. Our network holds a unique position in covering India comprehensively, encompassing diverse linguistic regions. We understand the importance of catering to our audience's specific content needs, which is why localisation is key to our strategy,” Sangani said.

“We have made substantial investments in this space, recognising its significance and potential for growth. Each of our channels operates with a tailored approach, reflecting the preferences and demands of its respective region and language audience,” he added.

Furthermore, Sangani mentioned that they prioritise delivering content that resonates with both rural and urban viewers, adapting formats and content types accordingly. The goal is to continually engage with their audience by providing content that aligns with current trends and preferences, ultimately increasing viewership and time spent on their platforms.

“We remain committed to serving the diverse Indian language space with relevant and localised content that ensures our continued success and expansion,” he added.

News18 Network's strategy to grow its business from CTV

According to Sangani, CTV is another way to consume content, much like traditional TV or digital platforms. While CTV might garner a big audience in future, the way users consume content remains largely the same. For instance, news consumption, being real-time, stays consistent across platforms. Whether it's on a TV screen, a computer, or a CTV, users expect up-to-date information.

“While other formats may offer more personalised choices, news content remains consistent across platforms and languages. The key difference lies in the presentation rather than the content itself. I would like to club CTV and digital, where we are doing a lot of original content to cater to the needs of our audience,” he added.

While explaining the strategy to grow their business from YouTube, Sangani said, “Currently, our approach to monetising content involves distributing it across different platforms. We utilise traditional television as well as digital platforms such as our website, CTV and YouTube. Our TV team can offer various options to clients, including selling TV feeds alone or in combination with digital or social feeds and so on. We have optimised our backend processes to ensure smooth execution of these offerings.”

Sangani emphasised that the challenge lies in the differences in evaluating performance between TV and digital mediums.

“Despite this, we believe that the future entails brands actively seeking out content rather than merely placing ads. Seamless execution across platforms is essential. Currently, measurement standards vary, but we anticipate the development of a common currency for evaluation in the future. Despite these challenges, we have observed success in terms of offering clients a comprehensive package that includes digital, TV, social and our platform for various events like elections,” Sangani mentioned.

Evaluating News18 Bangla's performance

Sangani said, “News18 Bangla is a story which we are very proud of and it is a tale unfolding over the past year. Now, as we have reached a significant milestone, we are reaching out to our audience to let them know that the content they're enjoying makes our channel the largest in Bengal.”

“We have been active in the market for numerous years, and in the past 8-9 months, we've experienced significant growth. One of the key lessons from our digital platforms is the importance of real-time updates. Unlike traditional media where perception often dominates, digital platforms offer immediate feedback on performance. Unlike TV, digital platforms provide unrestricted access to content, allowing for superior offerings,” he added.

Sangani mentioned that their dominance on various digital platforms such as their website and social media channels (including YouTube and Facebook) demonstrates the quality and appeal of the content compared to competitors.

“This success has translated into improved performance even in traditional media like television, where we are increasingly being recognised for our strengths,” Sangani said.

On being asked, with political parties increasingly relying on digital and social media content creators, how has this trend affected News18 Network's business strategy, Sangani explained that every medium has its own significance, although there's a prevailing notion that social or digital media dominates others. However, this varies depending on the market. Moreover, content availability in Indian languages on digital platforms is notably lower compared to English. Many users still rely on feature phones, constituting a significant demographic yet to fully transition to digital consumption.

“Traditional news media, particularly TV, remains robust due to its live nature, offering a prime time for catching up on daily events. This aspect is irreplaceable and widely acknowledged. While other content formats may evolve better on OTT and digital platforms, live media retains its stronghold, especially considering the vast demographics of the country,” Sangani said.

“News consumption habits across TV and digital platforms are well-understood, even from an advertiser's perspective. Despite potential shifts in spending, our digital presence is substantial, with a strong footprint across various social media platforms. We are well-equipped to adapt to any changes or trends in digital consumption patterns,” he added.

Furthermore, Sangani said, “We have a distinctive offering as a TV news network with a vast digital presence. Additionally, we excel in delivering news in text format through our website. Over time, video consumption has notably risen, contributing to substantial revenue growth across formats. Video content particularly gained momentum in recent years.”

Sangani highlighted that success largely hinges on effectively utilising the medium to engage users, supported by their strong digital assets.

“During peak news periods, we are well-positioned to capitalise on monetisation opportunities across both TV and digital platforms. Presently, digital is far bigger, as compared to previous general elections, reflecting the broader trend in the industry. Consequently, investment in video formats is expected to rise alongside the expanding digital ecosystem,” he added.

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