Young Turks. Indiantelevision.com's new series profiling the brightest and the best among the youth brigade in the Indian television industry. Under the spotlight are the men and women on the "right side" of 35 who are serving it up stirred and shaken. And making a huge difference, each in their own right, to the way in which the TV business is managed.
In this, the second of the series, we get up close and personal with Zubin Gandevia, managing director, South Asia, National Geographic Channel.
What will a teenager do if his father refuses to buy him the snazzy mobike on which the youngster has lost his heart ? There are two options, possibly, before the teenager: one, he either forgets about the mobike or, second, he earns enough money to buy the two-wheeler.
Zubin Jehanbux Gandevia , the young managing director for South Asia of National Geographic Channel (NGC) , went in for the second option ("I thought if my father wants me to earn to get the mobike, so be it."). He not only managed to buy the particular model of Japan-made Yamaha in the mid-80s, but, in the process, also set up one of Mumbai's oldest cable network, along with two other associates, United Cable Networks (sold later).
No wonder, a card from his parents, occupying the pride of places in Zubin's room in the Star office in Delhi, aptly has the message: "Beta, I am proud of you." Zubin, as he is more commonly known to friends, colleagues, associates and the media, actually fits in very well with the NGC culture which is all about adventure, outdoor sports and, more importantly, the curiosity to know more about our immediate surrounding and people. |
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"When I look back now at my stint at NGC, which is about two and half years old, I think we have got a good stable business with a sound revenue model. There is also a dedicated band of viewers and advertisers and the effort is to increase the base," Zubin says, as he stretches his legs in his room that houses a computer, apart from other office knick-knacks. Sitting atop the PC is a Star Trek-type gadget which Zubin finally reveals is for his "back which is giving a bit of a problem." But the road to the managing director's chair at NGC India has been a roller-coaster ride for Zubin, every moment of it cherished and enjoyed. Surprisingly, not also tinged with much regrets, says the 35-year-old. As the MD, South Asia, for the National Geographic Channel, Zubin is responsible for running the business of the channel in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. With over 14 years of experience in India's cable and satellite television industry, he was among the first in the country to establish his own cable business with United Cable Network (UCN) which went on to become the largest single headend in the country. Zubin joined the television industry in 1996, as director of cable affairs (read managing cable operators) of Star India Pvt Ltd and was responsible for managing the Zee relationship in Siti Cable (the days when Rupert Murdoch and Subhash Chandra dreamt together they could build an unbeatable media company in India and later, probably, Asia; a dream which has long since gone sour). Zubin has also worked in Star's DTH division as senior vice-president in-charge of technical services and business development (again a division which has seen more downs than ups). But these hiccups somehow failed to deter Zubin or his enthusiasm. In line with the spirit of National Geographic Channel, Zubin enjoys the outdoors, has a passion for motorsports and --- no surpsies --- is a big fan of Michael Schumacher. In this interview, Zubin, a person who is very reluctant to talk to the media ("I have had some bad experiences with the media with journalists mis-quoting me completely out of context") lets indiantelevision.com's Anjan Mitra enter his private world and speaks on the industry, his urge to innovate to avoid perishing and, of course, how he entered the TV industry. |
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How did you foray into the TV industry ? |
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How was it starting a business venture in India in your early 20s? |
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So, the subscription money collected saw you guys setting up shop. But was the money enough to start a cable service, no matter how much limited? (Laughs) The money that we collected just gave the green signal to our intention. We also did not have enough money to buy a VCR to show movies. So, the first week we rented the VCR from the neighbourhood electronics shop! The response on movies, some of them new, was good. So we went back to our subscribers and requested them that if they were happy with the cable service and wanted efficiency, it'd be great if they gave us three months of money in advance. Having managed to convince them, the collection was enough for us to buy a VCR and that was it. |
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Did you manage to buy the mobike which, in a way, was instrumental in bringing you into the broadcasting industry? |
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UCN and the cable business expanded pretty well. Why did you sell off the business in the mid-90s when the industry was just about picking up? |
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How much did you make by selling off the business? |
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Why did you join Star? |
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It is said that you still retain part of the cable business. Has Star allowed you do that? Yes, I still have some personal cable subscribers and before joining Star I apprised them of the situation. The company was nice enough to allow me to do that even though I became an employee of Star India. |
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How has it been with National Geographic and being its managing director for South Asia when rival Discovery is openly saying these days that it's a leader? |
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After having informally interacted with your colleagues, I get this impression that you are quite a Hitler in the office. Right or wrong? |
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So, what is your business philosophy or what is the mantra that you have for succeeding ? I feel, if you don't do things differently you won't go far. To give you an example, I still go back and interact with the cable subscribers that I have to know their problems, the issues involved and what more can be done for them. One has to be in constant touch with one's customers and the feedback is very important. |
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Do you have regrets in life? |
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Have you ever thought of retirement? |