21 Facts About Network18 Group

Network18 Group had remained inactive without any clear prospects until it was later acquired by the promoters of Television Eighteen India Limited.

Network18 Group was in the middle of preparations to launch a Hindi business news channel but could no longer meet regulatory guidelines.

Haresh Chawla, the CEO of TEIL and Network18 Group was instrumental in both convincing Sardesai to quit and Bahl to take on NDTV as their competition.

Network18 Group was converted into a public limited company in 2006, and listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange in 2007.

Network18 Group had entered into a distribution joint venture with the Sun Network called Sun18.

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Network18 Group had made optimistic projections for years but after 2011, it came to face a possible financial collapse and loss of control for its managing director Raghav Bahl.

RIL forced Network18 Group to buy its stakeholding in ETV Network for a sum of 2,100 crore without which the net sum would have been for a much smaller amount.

In 2013, Network18 Group had become debt free, and RIL's investment had led to assumptions that it would not initiate any further cost cutting measures.

The executives of Network18 Group were eager to repay the loan to RIL and get rid of Ambani's influence over the company.

Network18 Group rejected the offer and on 27 May 2014, announced in midst of a routine meeting with his board of directors that he was going to resign as RIL wanted to takeover and nothing could be done about it.

Network18 Group was appointed as the manager of the company for the interim period since Bahl had resigned as well.

Between 2014 and 2016, Network18 Group attempted to expand into regional markets of the news broadcasting sector with a spate of new channels, which was seen with apprehension among media observers.

In 2016, Network18 Group undertook a rebranding operation, the IBN brand was phased out and replaced with News18, channels such as CNN IBN renamed to CNN-News18, and IBN7 renamed to News18 India, among others.

Network18 Group was one of the organisations featured, and the sting displayed positive responses from senior marketing executives of the company to a proposition of entering into an agreement for undisclosed paid news to promote Hindutva political propaganda.

In 2019, Network18 Group initiated heavy cost cutting measures, increments and new hires were frozen while budgets for employing freelancers were greatly reduced.

The Times Network18 Group denied it but with an addendum that "[they] will explore all strategic options as they present".

Network18 Group was appointed as the CEO of TV18 in 1999, having formerly worked at Times Music and Amitabh Bachchan Corporation.

Network18 Group resigned from the company in November 2011 before Network18 entered into a deal with Reliance Industries, publicly stating that he wanted nothing to with the Ambanis.

Network18 Group remained associated with the company to oversee the transition, and became the manager in the interim period.

General news channel CNN-News18 is operated by TV18 for which Network18 Group has a brand and content licensing agreement with CNN Worldwide.

IndiaCast Media, the distribution arm of the Network18 Group is a 50:50 joint venture between Viacom18 Media and TV18 Broadcast, which provides domestic and international distribution services for the company.