India’s Broadcast Industry in 2025: A Year of Leadership Shake-Ups and Strategic Resets

The year 2025 turned out to be a defining one for India’s broadcast and media sector, marked by a wave of leadership transitions that quietly but decisively reshaped the industry’s power corridors. Across television networks, digital streaming platforms, sports broadcasters and industry bodies, senior executives moved roles, exited long-held positions or stepped into expanded mandates each shift reflecting a sector recalibrating itself for the future.

From seasoned stalwarts to next-generation leaders, these movements highlighted the industry’s dual focus on continuity and reinvention. Names like Gaurav Banerjee, Sanjog Gupta, Kevin Vaz and several others emerged at the centre of this churn, underlining how dynamic and frankly, exciting the media ecosystem has become.

Sony Pictures Networks India: Exits, Appointments and Creative Rebuilds

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) witnessed some of the most notable leadership movements in 2025. Among the key exits was Danish Khan, Business Head of SonyLIV, who will conclude his over two-decade-long association with the company by March 31, 2026. Khan played a crucial role in scaling SonyLIV and building Studio NXT into a formidable digital content engine.

Another significant departure was that of Tushar Shah, CMO and Business Head, who stepped down in November after nearly 19 years of steering brand refreshes, regional expansion and profitable content portfolios. Soha D Kulkarni, Vice President and Creative Director – Fiction Programming, exited in September after shaping Sony Marathi’s fiction slate, while Sandeep Mehrotra, Head of Ad Sales – Network Channels, resigned in July due to personal reasons.

Balancing these exits, SPNI also strengthened its bench. Gautam Jain joined Sony SAB as Content Lead, Suvonkar Banerjee took charge as Creative Director of Studio NEXT, and Rajaraman S came on board as Head of Content Strategy. In marketing and business leadership, Parinda Singh and Ambesh Tiwari assumed critical roles across movies, regional clusters, kids and animation programming.

JioStar: Building Scale Through Strategic Leadership

JioStar saw an equally eventful year. GR Arun Kumar was appointed Chief Financial Officer, bringing nearly 30 years of cross-industry experience. Sahil Chopra stepped up as Vice President – Consumer Marketing at JioHotstar, while Mahesh Shetty became Head of Revenue, Entertainment, overseeing monetisation across TV, digital and international markets.

The group also strengthened governance with NP Singh and Bharat N Anand joining as Independent Directors. Meanwhile, Ishan Chatterjee expanded his mandate as CEO – Sports & Live Experiences, reflecting the company’s growing focus on live content and sports monetisation.At the same time, the organisation saw exits including Kingshuk Mitra and Shhri Ram, marking the close of impactful chapters in brand partnerships and regional marketing.

ZEEL and ZEE5: Leadership Realignments Across Business, Content and Tech

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL), along with ZEE5 and ZEE Studios, underwent multiple leadership changes. Ashish Sehgal stepped down as Chief Growth Officer before moving to Times Network, while Samrat Ghosh resigned as Chief Cluster Officer.

The group bolstered its leadership with Siju Prabhakaran as Chief Business Officer of ZEE5, Laxmi Shetty heading advertisement revenue, and several senior marketing, content and HR appointments across clusters and platforms. On the flip side, Chief Technology & Product Officer Shiva Chinnasamy exited early in the year, signalling a reset in the tech leadership layer.

Public Broadcasters, Digital Players and Industry Bodies

Beyond private networks, Prasar Bharati saw Navneet Kumar Sehgal resign as Chairman, while K Sathish Namboodiripad was appointed Director General of Doordarshan. Hungama Digital Media Entertainment witnessed the exit of CEO Sidharth Roy, while BU Network, Shemaroo Entertainment and Sun TV Network announced key senior appointments.

Industry bodies were equally active. Kevin Vaz continued his leadership run at the Indian Digital Media Industry Foundation, while Gaurav Banerjee took on prominent roles at both CII’s Media & Entertainment Council and BARC. Sanjog Gupta’s appointment as CEO of the ICC stood out as one of the year’s most high-profile moves beyond broadcasting.

A Sector in Motion

Taken together, 2025 painted a clear picture: India’s broadcast and media industry is in motion restructuring leadership, sharpening focus on monetisation, and embracing innovation across content, technology and distribution. These leadership shifts weren’t just about titles changing hands; they reflected deeper strategic intent as the industry prepares for its next phase of growth.If 2025 was about recalibration, the years ahead promise momentum and honestly, the boardroom drama might just be getting started.