IBDF Marks 25th Annual General Meeting With Leadership Changes, Elects Kevin Vaz As President

The Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF) marked a landmark occasion with the successful conclusion of its 25th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in New Delhi on 20 December 2024. The event celebrated 25 years of the Foundation's contributions to India's broadcasting and digital media landscape. The AGM was chaired by Rajat Sharma, Chairman of India TV, who assumed the role of Vice President of IBDF following the resignation of K Madhavan as President of the Foundation.

During the AGM, appointments were notified to the IBDF Board. Gaurav Dwivedi from Prasar Bharati, Jayant M. Mathew of MMTV and Aroon Purie from TV Today were inducted as new board members.

The IBDF Board also includes several esteemed industry leaders who continue to guide the Foundation. These members are Rajat Sharma, India TV, I Venkat, Eenadu TV, Kevin Vaz, JioStar, R Mahesh Kumar, Sun Network, Gaurav Banerjee, Culver Max, Nachiket Pantvaidya, Bangla Entertainment, Punit Goenka, Zee Media and Ashish Sehgal, Zee Entertainment.

Addressing the members during the AGM, Rajat Sharma reflected upon IBDF’s 25-year journey, emphasising the Foundation's role in shaping the Indian broadcasting landscape. He said “This milestone highlights the steadfast contributions of our members in transforming the broadcasting industry. As we move forward, IBDF will continue advocating for a regulatory framework that fosters innovation, supports creators, and ensures fair competition. Together, we will drive the industry toward a sustainable and prosperous future.”

Sharma expressed his gratitude to the outgoing President, K Madhavan, acknowledging his visionary leadership that played a crucial role in steering the organisation through significant milestones.

Following the conclusion of the 25th AGM, the IBDF Board of Directors convened a meeting to address key appointments. During this meeting, two new members were co-opted to the Board - Sumanto Bose from JioStar and John Brittas from Kairali TV, further strengthening the Board’s leadership team.

In addition, the Board elected new office bearers for the Foundation. Kevin Vaz was elected as the President of IBDF, taking the helm to lead the organisation into its next phase. The Vice Presidents elected were Rajat Sharma, Gaurav Banerjee and R Mahesh Kumar, reflecting a balanced representation of expertise and vision. Venkat was appointed as Treasurer, bringing his extensive experience to manage the Foundation's financial responsibilities.

The newly elected President, Kevin Vaz remarked, “It is an honour to take on this responsibility at such a transformative time for the media and entertainment sector. India’s appetite for content is unmatched, making it a unique market where all forms of media continue to grow, while Indian content increasingly gains international recognition furthering India’s soft power globally. As we increasingly embrace technology to scale up, it is imperative that we democratize content creation so that it is not demographically or geographically limited. While India consumes content from anywhere, driven by the proliferation of 5G, smartphones, connected TVs and better Pay TV infrastructure, we must ensure that opportunities to create professional content from locations beyond the current hotspots is a viable future for the industry.”

He further emphasised that “The media and entertainment industry has a multiplier effect that extends to sectors like sports, creating significant opportunities for growth at scale. To ensure that this growth can be sustainable we need to look at business models rooted in equitable collaborations that foster value creation for all stakeholders across the ecosystem.

I also look forward to work with the government and industry in developing progressive, soft-touch regulations that empower the sector to innovate and harness its full potential for sustainable growth.”

Vaz called on all IBDF members to work together towards creating a dynamic, innovative and sustainable ecosystem that not only engages audiences but also drives the growth of India's media and entertainment industry.