Network18 Media & Investments Limited announced the appointment of veteran corporate professional Mr. Raj Kumar Jain as an Independent Director for a five-year term. The Board of Directors approved his appointment on March 25, 2026, following recommendations from the Nomination and Remuneration Committee.

Appointment Details

The board meeting, which commenced at 2:45 p.m. and concluded at 5:30 p.m. on March 25, 2026, formalized Mr. Jain's appointment as an Additional Director designated as Independent Director. His tenure will span five consecutive years from March 25, 2026 to March 24, 2031, subject to approval from the company's shareholders.

Professional Background

Mr. Jain brings extensive corporate leadership experience spanning multiple industries and geographies. He holds an Engineering degree from Delhi College of Engineering and an MBA from Kellogg School of Business. His career includes senior executive positions at several prominent organizations.

Most recently, before starting his entrepreneurial journey in 2020, Raj served as Chief Executive Officer of The Times of India Group, India's largest media company across print, television, out-of-home, and digital business segments.

Key Career Highlights

Mr. Jain's professional journey includes significant leadership roles across diverse sectors:

Current Business Ventures

Since 2020, Mr. Jain has been actively involved in entrepreneurial ventures. He founded Bounce Inc., a boutique management and operations consulting firm that assists clients with India market entry, operating efficiency improvement, and digital transformation initiatives. Additionally, he serves as Managing Director of Clicktech Retail Private Limited, which operates as a premium seller of electronics and merchandise on e-commerce platforms within India.

Board Positions and Associations

Throughout his career, Mr. Jain has held various board positions and advisory roles. He served as Ex-Chairperson of the Board of American Chamber of Commerce & Industry (AMCHAM) and was on the advisory board of HOPE Foundation. He also served on the Board of ASCI (The Advertising Standards Council of India). Currently, he is associated with Sabhyata Foundation, which focuses on preservation of historical monuments and cultural heritage of India.

Regulatory Compliance

The appointment complies with SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015. Mr. Jain is not related to any existing director of the company and is not debarred from holding the office of Director by any SEBI order or other authority. The company has filed the necessary disclosures with both NSE and BSE as per regulatory requirements.

Network 18 Media has reported landmark digital performance in 2025, driven by rapid growth across Connected TV (CTV), YouTube and social platforms, reinforcing its leadership in the digital news ecosystem. The media network is redefining how Indian audiences consume news and long-form content while establishing a strong foundation for accelerated growth in 2026.

Connected TV Emerges as Primary Growth Driver

Connected TV has emerged as the new living room screen in 2025, reviving multi-generation co-viewing experiences. Audiences increasingly turned to CTV for news and long-form programming, combining the familiarity of traditional television with the flexibility and choice of digital platforms.

Network18's CTV performance demonstrates significant audience engagement and market penetration:

The performance was powered by a focused strategy of cross-screen content distribution, designed to serve viewers seamlessly from mobile-first consumption to large-screen viewing across multiple languages and formats.

Strategic Vision for 2026 Expansion

Network18 will intensify its focus on CTV-led growth in 2026 with comprehensive expansion plans. The group plans to invest further in CTV-specific content curation designed for large-screen viewing and evolving audience preferences. The company will work closely with advertisers to deliver better outcomes by enabling them to reach the right audiences in the right content environments with stronger targeting and measurement-led solutions.

Key 2026 initiatives include:

• Development of world-class CTV infrastructure and solutions stack
• Launch of dedicated CTV-first app for curated large-screen experiences
• Enhanced content curation specifically for large-screen viewing
• Expanded advertiser partnership solutions

Platform Leadership and Market Dominance

Beyond CTV, Network18 continued to dominate digital consumption metrics across multiple platforms in 2025. The network's YouTube performance showcased exceptional market leadership with twelve Network18 channels ranking number one in their respective categories in December 2025. The group crossed 6 billion YouTube views, outperforming competitors nearly three times.

Pranav Bakshi, Chief Growth Officer, Network18 Connected, commented on the milestone: "Our 2025 performance demonstrates the true potential of Connected TV as an anchor screen for news consumption in India. We've expanded our digital reach dramatically while transforming the way audiences experience news and storytelling at home."

Infrastructure and Distribution Expansion

To expand its CTV footprint further, Network18 is building comprehensive infrastructure and solutions for viewers and advertisers globally. The network is now available across leading OEM and OTT ecosystems, including JioHotstar, JioTV, Samsung, Xiaomi, LG, and other major platforms.

The strong metrics reinforce Network18's position as the most influential news and information network in India's digital media landscape, reflecting the company's focus on content excellence, cultural relevance, and platform-specific innovation spanning breaking news to long-form storytelling.