WHAT IF THEY DON'T WANT TO RUN NDTV?

Since the last couple of days, as the hostile takeover raid on NDTV unfolded I have been wondering about the strategy that could be behind Mr Adani's attempt to acquire the iconic electronic media organization. My thinking has been linear. That is, he wants to enter the media and entertainment business to create a new revenue stream for his group. Or, he could be looking for clout which has become critical as his business grows exponentially.

But then I began to wonder and question myself: how will a brand like NDTV add value to the Adani empire; a brand that is still putting up a semblance of objectivity and unbiased reporting when the rest of the media has bent over backwards to please the administration? NDTV's brand rests of its relative objectivity of news. Obviously, this cannot help Adani's corporate ambition which clearly depends on the blessings of the great leader.

THE BRAND IS PRANNOY NOT NDTV

The instant Adani acquires NDTV, its credibility which is its business value proposition takes a hit. It's like a kiss-of-death. The real brand is not NDTV, but its founder-owner Prannoy Roy, who shepherded television news journalism into India. NDTV without Roy will be like Tesla sans Elon. Mr Adani knows this only too well. So, he could have launched a friendly foray ensuring that Roy and his team stays and continues to run the show business-as-usual. This is what Mr Ambani has been doing all this while – remaining in the shadows while holding on to his stake in the channel.

THE END-GAME IS NOT TO RUN NDTV

Then why did Asia’s richest man make such an aggressive move? What if the end-game is not to run NDTV, but to run it down; finish it for good before 2024 elections? Prannoy is 76 years old. He might not have enough fight left in him to stave off such a fierce hostile attack, or launch a new initiative, which in any case can be made to face stiff opposition. The Roys have a few tax related cases pending against them. The deal could be that these issues will be given a quiet burial if Prannoy and Radhika gives up their fight without a fuss, or maybe just put up a token resistance. The question is will Ravish Kumar give up.

TIME TO RETHINK CONTENT, AUDIENCE & TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS

To be fair, NDTV has not really innovated its offering, after pioneering Indian electronic media. It’s the same old faces, churning out same content over the years. If one watches Bloomberg TV, one will understand how the trifecta of content, presentation and technology are coming together to create a powerful engagement experience. This hasn’t been the case with Indian electronic media. Maybe it this raid on the pioneer will make us sit up and start thinking on how the landscape is changing. Perhaps one should understand that the real issue is creating compelling content and reaching it to the audience. TV has been this connecting link all these years, it is now time to change – content and the engagement platforms -- if you wish to catch the attention of the new gen audience.