Rajdeep Sardesai bids adieu to IBN18 Network; calls journalism a great profession
In his farewell email to his colleagues, Sardesai said, “Editorial independence & integrity have been articles of faith in 26 years in journalism and maybe, I am too old now to change”

Putting at rest all speculations and after maintaining that he is “taking a short break from the newsroom” and “will be on a month’s leave: reading, writing, travelling, watching the World Cup soccer”, Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, IBN18 Network has confirmed that he is moving on from the organisation.
About an hour ago, Sagarika Ghose, Deputy Editor, CNN-IBN had sent out a farewell email to her colleagues and officially confirmed her departure from the media organisation.
In his farewell email to colleagues, Sardesai said:
“This is one of the toughest letters to write. After nine wonderful years at IBN18, it’s time to say goodbye. I must confess it’s not easy to leave a baby that one has helped create/ build/ grow and to leave such great colleagues. But I guess certain things in life are written in the stars. Editorial independence and integrity have been articles of faith in 26 years in journalism and maybe, I am too old now to change!
I would though like to look at the brighter side, the many happy times we have all shared. I still remember when we decided to set up an English news channel: we had one chair and a table, and no one gave us a hope in hell. I recall an advertising executive watching our pitch and asking why we were even attempting a new news channel. But madness and a passion for journalism as defined by the spirit of “whatever it takes” can break many a wall: we eventually did it! CNN-IBN was a remarkable success: in nine years, we achieved the seemingly impossible in the news business: ratings, revenue, but most crucially, RESPECT for our journalism. I am told that our awards tally is now over 200, more than all the other channels put together! This year’s Election coverage was a good example of what we have been able to achieve: a friend in CNN said he would have been proud to put together such a formidable line-up of programming.
IBN7 had a more difficult period in a highly competitive market, but again, I can look back with pride on the achievements of the channel. We had a fire in the belly as typified by the tagline “Khabar har keemat par”. I remember a small town in UP, when an elderly gent came to me and said, “Sir, maan gaye, aap hee ka channel hai jo na Mayawati ko na Mulayam ko chhodta hai!” And thank you to the IBN7 newsroom for helping me improve my Hindi to the point where I could maybe anchor in Hindi one day!
And then to my friends in IBN Lokmat: you guys in many ways are the real rockstars. You overcame every challenge to build a channel of substance. You created programming that won awards at the national level and stories that made the people of Maharashtra sit up. “Chala Jag Jinkuiya” – truly you showed what the true spirit of journalism can do. My dream was that one day we would have similar quality channels in every Indian language: that dream must wait another day!
None of all this would have been possible without the freedom one enjoyed at Network18. For that, I am eternally grateful to the leadership. Above all, none of this would have been possible without the professionalism that each and every one of you has shown. Television news is the ultimate TEAM game: I know the hard work that every one of you put to build this network: from OB drivers and engineers from video editors to video journalists to the newsroom – each of you deserve the highest acclaim for being there 24x7, through winter mornings and summer evenings.
Forget the cynics, journalism, my friends, is a great profession. Good journalism makes a genuine difference to the world by offering a mirror to the society. Our stories have exposed corrupt netas and forced ministers to resign; we did stories that got jobs for the disabled, land to the landless, justice to acid attack victims. Hell, we even pioneered the idea of citizen journalism and of India Positive and Real Heroes to showcase an India that otherwise is lost in the noise of breaking news. Yes, putting news above noise, sense above sensation and credibility above chaos must remain a credo forever: else journalism will lose its moral compass. I hope the new management will always put journalism first and I wish them well.”
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ABP Network appoints Ananta Natha Jha to lead UnCut
He has been roped in as Associate Vice-President of ABP Live
ABP Network has onboarded Ananta Natha Jha as the Associate Vice-President of ABP Live. With a rich experience in handling digital content and an in-depth understanding of video and radio content, he will take charge as the Editor of the UnCut team. Ananta Natha Jha will lead a young team of journalists who put out digital content for Gen-Z and millennials, the network said.
Jha has experience working at several reputable organisations in crucial roles. A well-recognised voice, he has donned various hats being a radio jockey, a news anchor, voiceover artist, producer, programming head, and a talk show host, stated a release.
Ananta Natha Jha will play a key role in reshaping UnCut and rechanneling focus towards the younger generation with a focus on high-quality content, the release stated.
UnCut is a Gen-Z/millennials-focused vertical of ABP Network.
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Network Advertising appoints Rahool Talukdar as Group Creative Director, Digital
Rahool previously worked at Dentsu iProspect
Network Advertising has announced the appointment of Rahool Talukdar as Group Creative Director, Digital. Rahool, previously at Dentsu iProspect, brings over 15 years of rich experience, having worked across both mainline and digital agencies.
Rahool is captivated by the digital medium and the innovative ways in which brands can connect with audiences through new media storytelling. At Network, he shares, "I resonate with the creative freedom provided by an independent venture, where transparency and clear direction foster professional growth. I am thrilled to be a part of their growth story."
During his tenure at Dentsu iProspect, Rahool led a team responsible for award-winning work on a diverse range of accounts, including State Bank of India, Essilor, Fossil Luxury Watches, Biba Apparels, Angel One, Finolex Pipes, Switzerland Tourism, ICICI Direct, and Shaze Luxury, among others.
Akashneel Dasgupta, CCO, Network Advertising, expresses enthusiasm about Rahool's addition to the team, stating, "Rahool will help shape our future as a fully integrated agency. He possesses extensive experience in nurturing young talent and guiding them towards greater accomplishments. We look forward to an exciting future and exceptional work with him on board."
Vinod Nair, Managing Director, Network Advertising, underscores the significance of digital communication for the agency, saying, "Digital Communication is a crucial element in our integrated offering to clients. Under Rahool's creative leadership, I am eager to see him add value to our clients' businesses alongside his dynamic team."
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Times Network digital head Shouneel Charles to quit after 4+ years
Sources have told e4m that Charles is currently serving his notice period
In his previous assignment, Charles was leading the digital business at NDTV Convergence as Chief Sales & Marketing Officer and Chief Revenue Officer. He has also worked with multinational companies like Yahoo, Turner Broadcasting, Star India and National Geographic where he launched multiple channels and media properties.
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CNBC’s Latha Venkatesh to “transition” out of daily anchoring schedule
Venkatesh is taking the ‘break’ from August 1 to plan son’s wedding
Latha Venkatesh, Executive Editor with CNBC-TV18, will be “transitioning” out of the daily anchoring schedule and play much more of a supervisory role.” The arrangement will come into effect on August 1.
Venkatesh will continue to be the Executive Editor, and “only take a break from the daily activities.” She will be taking the break to plan her son’s wedding.
“Latha mam has kept the fire burning for almost two decades. She has brought her heart to work every day. Never once complained about the long hours, the stress, the pressure, because she loves what she does with a passion that is undeniable. As is the case with her, she doesn’t do anything half-heartedly and so as she gets ready to plan a BIG FAT INDIAN WEDDING for her son, she is keen to free up her time and mind space to focus on a wonderful life altering moment,” read an internal communication at CNBC accessed by exchange4media.
“She will continue to do her special shows and come in to do links/interviews etc even on daily shows as necessary and appropriate. But from Aug 1, she will not be anchoring Bazaar as a regular feature or fixing the show etc,” the read the communication.
Sonal Bhutra will take over from Venkatesh.
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OMD India ropes in Udhayakumar Pasupathi to lead Chennai office
Pasupathi has spent the last 9 years at Mindshare where his most recent role was that of cluster lead in Bangalore...
OMD India has onboarded Udhayakumar Pasupathi as new Lead at the company’s Chennai office, reporting to Sulina Menon, Chief Client Officer, OMD India.
“Udhaya is an MBA graduate in marketing and joins with 12 years of diverse and prolific industry experience. He spent the last 9 years at Mindshare where his most recent role was that of cluster lead in Bangalore. Udhay has also worked with Lodestar UM, and has worn multiple hats as a planner, team lead, strategist, and media consultant. His roles have pivoted around providing integrated strategic solutions to brands, including marquee names such as Max Fashion, Lifestyle, Home Centre and Eenadu, among many others,” the agency said.
Commenting on the new appointment, Sulina Menon said, “We’re extremely pleased to have someone like Udhaya, with his experience and expertise, join our Chennai team, and are confident that we will benefit greatly from the insights he brings to the table. I’m especially excited about the growth journey ahead and look forward to collectively pursuing a host of new opportunities.”
Priti Murthy, CEO OMD India welcomed Udhaya Pasupathi on board saying, “All of us at OMD are eagerly looking forward to Udhaya’s fresh new perspectives combined with the rich repertoire of industry knowledge he’s gathered over the years. There are some exciting growth avenues ahead, and we can’t wait to unlock them together.”
Speaking about this new step in his career, Udhaya Pasupathi reflected, “It’s been over a decade of experience, learnings and leadership in the realm of media strategy & planning, and surely there’s no better place to mark 12 years than OMD. With its vast global network and its growth-driven environment, I’m delighted to be in a space where together we quite literally make better decisions, faster!”
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OMD India ropes in Udhayakumar Pasupathi to lead Chennai office
Pasupathi has spent the last 9 years at Mindshare where his most recent role was that of cluster lead in Bangalore
OMD India has onboarded Udhayakumar Pasupathi as new Lead at the company’s Chennai office, reporting to Sulina Menon, Chief Client Officer, OMD India.
“Udhaya is an MBA graduate in marketing and joins with 12 years of diverse and prolific industry experience. He spent the last 9 years at Mindshare where his most recent role was that of cluster lead in Bangalore. Udhay has also worked with Lodestar UM, and has worn multiple hats as a planner, team lead, strategist, and media consultant. His roles have pivoted around providing integrated strategic solutions to brands, including marquee names such as Max Fashion, Lifestyle, Home Centre and Eenadu, among many others,” the agency said.
Commenting on the new appointment, Sulina Menon said, “We’re extremely pleased to have someone like Udhaya, with his experience and expertise, join our Chennai team, and are confident that we will benefit greatly from the insights he brings to the table. I’m especially excited about the growth journey ahead and look forward to collectively pursuing a host of new opportunities.”
Priti Murthy, CEO OMD India welcomed Udhaya Pasupathi on board saying, “All of us at OMD are eagerly looking forward to Udhaya’s fresh new perspectives combined with the rich repertoire of industry knowledge he’s gathered over the years. There are some exciting growth avenues ahead, and we can’t wait to unlock them together.”
Speaking about this new step in his career, Udhaya Pasupathi reflected, “It’s been over a decade of experience, learnings and leadership in the realm of media strategy & planning, and surely there’s no better place to mark 12 years than OMD. With its vast global network and its growth-driven environment, I’m delighted to be in a space where together we quite literally make better decisions, faster!”
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For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
OMD India ropes in Udhayakumar Pasupathi to lead Chennai office
Pasupathi has spent the last 9 years at Mindshare where his most recent role was that of cluster lead in Bangalore
OMD India has onboarded Udhayakumar Pasupathi as new Lead at the company’s Chennai office, reporting to Sulina Menon, Chief Client Officer, OMD India.
“Udhaya is an MBA graduate in marketing and joins with 12 years of diverse and prolific industry experience. He spent the last 9 years at Mindshare where his most recent role was that of cluster lead in Bangalore. Udhay has also worked with Lodestar UM, and has worn multiple hats as a planner, team lead, strategist, and media consultant. His roles have pivoted around providing integrated strategic solutions to brands, including marquee names such as Max Fashion, Lifestyle, Home Centre and Eenadu, among many others,” the agency said.
Commenting on the new appointment, Sulina Menon said, “We’re extremely pleased to have someone like Udhaya, with his experience and expertise, join our Chennai team, and are confident that we will benefit greatly from the insights he brings to the table. I’m especially excited about the growth journey ahead and look forward to collectively pursuing a host of new opportunities.”
Priti Murthy, CEO OMD India welcomed Udhaya Pasupathi on board saying, “All of us at OMD are eagerly looking forward to Udhaya’s fresh new perspectives combined with the rich repertoire of industry knowledge he’s gathered over the years. There are some exciting growth avenues ahead, and we can’t wait to unlock them together.”
Speaking about this new step in his career, Udhaya Pasupathi reflected, “It’s been over a decade of experience, learnings and leadership in the realm of media strategy & planning, and surely there’s no better place to mark 12 years than OMD. With its vast global network and its growth-driven environment, I’m delighted to be in a space where together we quite literally make better decisions, faster!”
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