Sachin P Mampatta And Viveat Susan Pinto

Stories by Sachin P Mampatta And Viveat Susan Pinto

Boycott calls force advertisers, celebrities to increase safeguards

Boycott calls force advertisers, celebrities to increase safeguards

Rediff.com   7 Nov 2022

American writer HP Lovecraft famously said that the oldest and strongest of fears is the fear of the unknown. For present-day advertisers and celebrities, this fear is showing up in the response they receive from social media to their brand communication. This is something AU Small Finance Bank and online food delivery platform Zomato recently experienced with their advertisements.

Companies see slowdown in growth of temporary, contract and casual jobs

Companies see slowdown in growth of temporary, contract and casual jobs

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2022

Some of India's largest companies have seen a slowdown in the growth of temporary, contract and casual jobs, as compared to the increase in their total workforce. The absolute number of such jobs is up 30 per cent between financial year 2017-18 and 2021-22 (FY18-22), shows an analysis of data collated from the annual reports of S&P BSE 100 companies. Forty-eight firms were considered for the final analysis based on the availability of uniform data across the last five years. In comparison, the total workforce numbers are up 36 per cent in the same period.

Zee, Sony to sell 3 Hindi channels to address CCI concerns

Zee, Sony to sell 3 Hindi channels to address CCI concerns

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2022

Sony India and Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) have agreed to sell three Hindi channels--Big Magic, Zee Action and Zee Classic--to address anti-competition concerns arising out of their proposed merger. The broadcasters submitted their proposal to the Competition Commission of India (CCI), which gave a conditional approval on October 4. On Wednesday, the CCI made public its detailed 58-page order, specifying the channels that would be dropped.

Gautam Adani's wealth up relative to India's GDP

Gautam Adani's wealth up relative to India's GDP

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2022

Amid increasing volatility and recession fears looming over global markets that has led to the decline in wealth of a number of billionaires, Gautam Adani was the only one to buck the trend. The billionaire added $43.3 billion in net worth between Diwali 2021 (November 4) and this year's Diwali (October 24) according to Bloomberg data. He added more wealth than the gross domestic product (GDP)of more than a dozen Indian states.

Capex on new projects declines further in Q2

Capex on new projects declines further in Q2

Rediff.com   11 Oct 2022

Expenditure on new projects slowed down for the second quarter in a row amid an uncertain global environment and higher borrowing costs. There were new projects worth a cumulative Rs 3.26 trillion in the July-September period, according to data provided by project tracker Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). This figure is much less than Rs 4.39 trillion in the June quarter (Q1FY23) and Rs 8.46 trillion in the March quarter (Q4FY22).

Ad spends likely to get double-digit boost as festive cheer returns

Ad spends likely to get double-digit boost as festive cheer returns

Rediff.com   3 Oct 2022

After losing two festive seasons to Covid-led restrictions, 2022 is seeing an uninhibited celebration of festivals. This is pushing up discretionary spend, which is attracting advertisers and brands, who are ready to capitalise on the momentum. The festive season has begun with Onam and Ganesh Chathurthi held earlier this month in Kerala and Maharashtra, respectively.

Devika Bulchandani has shattered the glass ceiling for good

Devika Bulchandani has shattered the glass ceiling for good

Rediff.com   21 Sep 2022

'Devika is a people's person, who simply loves what she does. This reflects in her work; the insights she brings to the table and the way she interacts with people and clients. She has the demeanour of a good captain. Her success is well-deserved.'

Explained: How India's crude import sources have changed over time

Explained: How India's crude import sources have changed over time

Rediff.com   16 Sep 2022

India's crude oil imports are coming in from a changing mix of countries, with the top three accounting for around 60 per cent of total imports. Russia emerged as the largest source of crude oil imports for India in June, as per the latest available data from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The data which is released with a lag, showed that Russian imports accounted for 24 per cent of the total crude imports into the country.

NDTV posted highest-ever profit in a decade in FY22

NDTV posted highest-ever profit in a decade in FY22

Rediff.com   5 Sep 2022

Media company New Delhi Television (NDTV) recorded its highest-ever consolidated profit at the group level in over a decade for financial year 2021-22 (FY22), said co-chairpersons Radhika Roy and Prannoy Roy in the firm's latest annual report. Addressing shareholders, the Roys, founder-promoters of NDTV, said the company had emerged financially strong in FY22, continuing the turnaround of recent years. "Both the television and digital branches of the NDTV group reported their highest-ever profit. NDTV Ltd (television arm) recorded a profit of Rs 59.18 crore.

Adani-NDTV battle: Minority shareholders gain focus

Adani-NDTV battle: Minority shareholders gain focus

Rediff.com   1 Sep 2022

In the centre of an ownership battle with Adani Group, New Delhi Television (NDTV) can prevent a takeover by the group if it can buy more shares from public shareholders, corporate lawyers told Business Standard. On Tuesday, the media arm of Adani Group said it had exercised rights to acquire an indirect stake of 29.18 per cent in NDTV through conversion of loans into equity in a promoter group entity of NDTV. This will trigger a mandatory open offer for an additional 26 per cent stake in NDTV, even as the broadcaster said its founder promoters had neither consented to the exercise of rights nor was any conversation or input given on the matter.

Businessmen suicides outnumber farmers' for 2nd year in a row

Businessmen suicides outnumber farmers' for 2nd year in a row

Rediff.com   31 Aug 2022

The states recording the highest number of such deaths include Karnataka (14.3 per cent), Maharashtra (13.2 per cent), and Madhya Pradesh (11.3 per cent). Tamil Nadu (9.4 per cent) and Telangana (7.5 per cent) were the other two in the top five.

Rs 1 Trillion Freebies By State Govts

Rs 1 Trillion Freebies By State Govts

Rediff.com   27 Aug 2022

'The power sector accounts for much of the financial burden of state governments in India.'

Stakes rise for bauxite blocks in Odisha on Adani Group's entry

Stakes rise for bauxite blocks in Odisha on Adani Group's entry

Rediff.com   25 Aug 2022

The next auction for bauxite blocks in Odisha may see heightened interest with Adani Group charting an entry into alumina refining and existing players looking to boost capacity. Hemant Sharma, principal secretary, Odisha industries department, said that three bauxite blocks have been scheduled for auctions this year. Adani Group - which will be setting up a 4-MMTPA alumina refinery and may enter aluminium production - is expected to bid for mines, though raw material linkages shall be available from Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC).

When Rakesh Jhunjhunwala used to get Rs 60 as trainee CA

When Rakesh Jhunjhunwala used to get Rs 60 as trainee CA

Rediff.com   22 Aug 2022

Nearly four decades ago, when Rakesh Jhunjhunwala was a young chartered accountant in training, he was paid a conveyance of Rs 60. Deductions would take away Rs 15 from this princely sum and he was left with Rs 45 by the time the allowance made its way to his hands. He would save as much as he could from this amount, so that he would have a small amount to spend when he met his friends on the weekend at Chicken Centre. This was an eatery popular with the young at the time, perhaps because food and drink were affordable even for those new to the workforce.

Foreign companies' interest in India fades, shows data

Foreign companies' interest in India fades, shows data

Rediff.com   19 Aug 2022

George Acland from Great Britain ran a coffee plantation in Sri Lanka and set up India's first jute mill in 1855. He raised capital and imported the machinery for the mill on the banks of the Hooghly in West Bengal. His company wasn't a great success, but his pioneering work paved the way for India to dominate the jute industry.

Aamir Vs Akshay: Who Will Win BO Battle?

Aamir Vs Akshay: Who Will Win BO Battle?

Rediff.com   10 Aug 2022

This is the fourth time in three decades that Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar have had movie releases on the same day.

Funding winter hits start-up advertising spend across properties

Funding winter hits start-up advertising spend across properties

Rediff.com   6 Aug 2022

A long and bitter funding winter in the start-up world is beginning to take its toll on start-up advertising across properties. Earlier this week, Mastercard replaced Paytm as the title sponsor for all international and domestic cricket matches organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). But this is just one part of the story. The other side is that organisers of high-impact shows and events on Hindi general entertainment channels, too, are feeling the winter chill.

India Sees 8 Aviation Accidents Every Year

India Sees 8 Aviation Accidents Every Year

Rediff.com   30 Jul 2022

The number of serious incidents has more than doubled in the last seven years.

Investors pushing back more on top executive pay hikes

Investors pushing back more on top executive pay hikes

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2022

Investors are pushing back more often against companies' resolutions on what is paid out to top executives. In the first four months of financial year 2022-23 (FY23), there have already been five such rejections, according to shareholder voting data from tracker Adrian, a platform maintained by the proxy advisory firm Institutional Investor Advisory Services India (IiAS). Two of these have been at multiplex chain PVR and direct-to-home company Dish TV India.

Top 20 dividend-paying firms raise shareholder rewards in FY22

Top 20 dividend-paying firms raise shareholder rewards in FY22

Rediff.com   25 Jul 2022

Hindustan Zinc (HZL), a subsidiary of Vedanta, announced an interim dividend of Rs 21 per share last week, resulting in an outflow of Rs 8,863 crore. The announcement has turned the spotlight on India Inc's dividend-paying policy - more so for reasons driving the generosity of firms. An analysis of BSE 500 companies by Business Standard Research Bureau shows that some of the top 20 dividend-paying companies in 2021-22 (FY22) include Vedanta, Tata Consultancy Services, HZL, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Indian Oil Corporation (IndianOil), Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Reliance Industries (RIL), and Bajaj Auto, among others.