9x Media elevates Ajay Bedi, Anusri Unnikrishnan and Darpan Kindalkar

9x Media has announced elevations in its sales team. 

 

Ajay Bedi has been elevated as national sales head, 9x Jalwa. Bedi was branch head - North for 9x Media.

 

Anusri Unnikrishnan, who was AVP - network revenue and branch head in Bengaluru, has been given the role of national sales head, 9x Jhakaas.

 

Darpan Kindalkar has been elevated as sales head of 9x Tashan. He was heading the West India region for 9x Media.

 

Bedi will report to Nihal Ghosh, SVP - ad sales, while Unnikrishnan and Kindalkar will report to Deepali Oroskar, SVP - ad sales.  

 

Punit Pandey, chief business officer, 9x Media, said, "The entertainment industry, especially the music industry in India is going through an exciting transition. The past two years have been difficult for a majority of people. In these difficult times, music stood out as a companion. Music helped people to de-stress. Hence the consumption of music has increased. Being India’s largest music television broadcaster, we want to leverage this momentum. The restructuring of the ad sales team will definitely take the network towards the next phase of success and achievements.”   

 

Bedi said, “I feel humbled by the faith put in me to lead the all India sales for 9x Jalwa. The markets are opening up post covid and so is Jalwa evolving into a force to reckon with in the Hindi music genre. My priority would be to make brands across India aware of the scope and content creation/integration opportunities which 9x Jalwa presents and the programming initiatives which are being undertaken to be at par with the top channels in the music genre.” 

 

Unnikrishnan said, “I'm really excited to head ad sales nationally for 9x Jhakaas - India’s first Marathi music channel. Planning a post covid roadmap for 9x Jhakaas’ accelerated growth will be critical. FICCI KPMG says regional languages will make up 60% of television consumption in 2025 from around 55% in 2020. Regional brands in India are driving the Bharat (non-metro) consumption with a strong market share in tier two and tier three cities. 9x Jhakaas has a strong following with a young, affluent rural population along with urban audiences ensuring it will play a key role for advertisers who want to target Maharashtra which has India’s highest GDP by state and also the most urbanised.”      

   

Kindalkar added, “Regional markets with regard to TV advertising have gone through a dynamic change over last few years. Punjabi music consumption is more devoted as compared to how music is been consumed in other parts of our country. Since its inception, 9x Tashan continues to command that number one position in consumers’ heart and grow that faithful tribe week on week. It has also opened up new advertising avenues for the brands over the years. I'm glad to be part of such a great heritage. Priority is to first take the revenues to pre pandemic levels, along with opening other avenues for the brands through content creation, on ground events, integrations, etc.”