Kevin Vaz from JioStar has been appointed as President of the IBDF

The Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF) convened its 25th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in New Delhi on December 20, 2024. Rajat Sharma, chairman of India TV and vice president of IBDF, presided over the meeting following K. Madhavan's departure as the foundation's president.

During its AGM, the IBDF announced many major board appointments, including Gaurav Dwivedi of Prasar Bharati, Jayant M. Mathew of MMTV, and Aroon Purie of TV Today.

The IBDF Board also comprises 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).

At the AGM, Rajat Sharma emphasized the IBDF's contributions to the Indian broadcasting sector over the last 25 years, as well as the need for a legislative environment that fosters innovation, supports creators, and promotes fair competition. He also complimented outgoing president K. Madhavan for his dedication in guiding the foundation through difficult times.

Following the AGM, the IBDF board of directors met and appointed Sumanto Bose of JioStar and John Brittas of Kairali TV as board members. The IBDF Board elected Kevin Vaz as president, Rajat Sharma, Gaurav Banerjee, and R. Mahesh Kumar as vice presidents, and I. Venkat as treasurer.

Kevin Vaz, the recently elected president, stated, "It is an honor to take on this role at such a pivotal time for the media and entertainment industries. India's thirst for content is unparalleled, making it a unique market where all kinds of media continue to develop, while Indian material earns international recognition, strengthening India's soft power abroad. As we increasingly rely on technology to scale up, it is critical that we democratize content creation so that it is not demographically or geographically restricted. While India consumes content from anywhere, thanks to the growth of 5G, smartphones, linked TVs, and improved Pay TV infrastructure, we must ensure that possibilities to generate professional content from locations other than existing hotspots remain a realistic future for the business."

He also stated that the media and entertainment industry has a multiplier effect that extends to sectors such as sports, creating significant opportunities for growth at scale. To guarantee that this growth is sustainable, we must consider business models based on fair collaborations that provide benefit for all stakeholders in the ecosystem.

"I also hope to collaborate with the government and industry to implement progressive, soft-touch laws that will allow the sector to innovate and reach its full potential for sustainable growth," he added.

Vaz asked all IBDF members to work together to create a vibrant, inventive, and sustainable ecosystem that engages viewers and drives the growth of India's media and entertainment industries.