Alibaba.com and Infomedia Form Strategic Partnership in India
World’s leading B2B online marketplace collaborates with India’s largest B2B media company to provide Indian SMEs with the best solution for domestic and global trade

MUMBAI, 29 April 2008 – Alibaba.com Limited (SEHK: 1688), the world's leading B2B e-commerce company, and Infomedia India Limited, India’s largest Yellow Pages and special interest publishing company, today announced a multi-year strategic partnership designed to benefit small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) in India.

The Alibaba.com and Infomedia partnership will combine the power of traditional print publishing with online media and e-commerce, providing Indian SMEs with a one-stop solution for global and domestic trade. Together they will create a strong online community of Indian business people and provide them with a single cost-effective channel to promote their products and source from quality suppliers in India and around the world. It will also provide SMEs in India with the latest industry news and technical developments in multi-media formats.

Prakash Iyer, Managing Director, Infomedia, said, “As India’s largest Yellow Pages company – and now as a part of the Network 18 group - Infomedia is delighted to bring to Indian businesses the global reach and strengths of Alibaba.com. We have a long history of helping SMEs grow their business – and this partnership with Alibaba.com will help Indian businesses grow to their fullest potential worldwide. The Infomedia-Alibaba partnership will bring value to Indian SMEs by giving them a larger, multi-media business platform encompassing domestic and global trade services.”

David Wei, Chief Executive Officer, Alibaba.com, said, “With its huge growth potential, India is a very important and strategic market for Alibaba.com and is a top priority for our global expansion plans. While Alibaba.com is the expert in helping small businesses trade internationally, Infomedia brings us a strong understanding of the Indian SME and B2B market. With Infomedia we have a strong local partner who can provide on-the-ground support for our members, including sales, marketing and customer service. We believe this alliance will help us become the dominant online B2B marketplace in India by the end of 2008.”

India has more than 8 million SMEs, which account for almost 40 per cent of India’s industrial output and employ around 30 million people. It is estimated that 3 million SMEs are engaged in B2B trade and around 1 million are in the export business. Alibaba.com has more than 400,000 members in India, already making it one of the largest B2B online marketplaces in India by member count. With this partnership, Alibaba.com is expecting to double its Indian membership base in the near future. Alibaba.com launched a special India Channel late last year to help Indian suppliers find local and global buyers for their products and services. The India Channel has been well received by members, with more than 20,000 Indian companies signing up each month since January 2008.

Founded in 1999 in Hangzhou, China, Alibaba.com has built a global community of more than 27 million members from over 200 countries and regions. Thanks to Alibaba.com, small businesses around the world are going global and buyers and sellers of everything from automobile parts to evening dresses are finding their perfect trading partners faster and easier than ever before.

India is the second fastest growing major economy in the world. It had a GDP growth rate of 9.6% for the fiscal year 2006-2007 and is expected to grow by 8.7% this year. China, the world’s fastest growing economy, is India’s third largest export country. The Alibaba.com and Infomedia tie-up will help bridge two of the world’s fastest growing economies and further promote trade between India and China.

About Alibaba.com Limited

Alibaba.com (HKSE: 1688), a member of the Alibaba Group of companies, is the world's leading B2B e-commerce company. Our international marketplace (www.Alibaba.com) focuses on global importers and exporters and our China marketplace (www.Alibaba.com.cn) focuses on suppliers and buyers trading domestically in China. Together, our marketplaces form a community of more than 27 million registered users from over 200 countries and regions.

About Infomedia India Limited

Infomedia India Limited is India’s leading media company with strong market presence in diverse business areas spanning Yellow Pages, Magazine Publishing, Printing Services and Publishing Outsourcing. A pan-Indian network covering 26 cities with over 2,200 employees gives Infomedia a national footprint. The Company is the undisputed market leader in Yellow Pages and Special Interest Publishing and is one of the most respected contract printers in the country. Infomedia has expanded into the Publishing Outsourcing segment and is well placed to consolidate its position in this booming market with tremendous growth potential. Infomedia is a part of the Network 18 group – India’s fastest growing media conglomerate..

Alibaba.com
Alibaba.com Limited
Christina Splinder
Tel: +852 2215 5130
Email: csplinder@alibaba-inc.com

Perfect Relations
Vivek Padiyar / Kavita Singh
Tel: +91 98923 06446 / +91 98195 36839
E-mail: vpadiyar@perfectrelations.com/
ksingh@perfectrelations.com
Infomedia India Limited
Sampark Public Relations, India
Kavita K Bhaskaran / Sunita Libera
Tel + 91 99873 55009 / +91 98219 92518
E-mail: kavita.bhaskaran@sampark.com/
sunita@sampark.com

Network18 launches India’s First 24 hour Shopping Channel “HomeShop18”
  1. Revolutionizing shopping in India with many unique and innovative consumer benefits like
    1. Multiple Payment Options
    2. In-Depth Product Information
    3. Entertaining & Engaging Content
    4. Anywhere Anytime Shopping         
  2. Free to Air distribution in over 700 cities across India – one of the largest distribution roll outs
  3. Offers hundreds of new and innovative products every month with exceptional value pricing
  4. Built on the large format retail principles as well as the convenience of the neighborhood store
    1. Multi Brand – Over 200 Brands
    2. 10000 SKUs
    3. Doorstep Delivery
Nagpur, April 17, 2008: Introducing a new concept of shopping in India, Network18 launches HomeShop18, India’s first 24 hour, free to air home shopping channel. HomeShop18 has taken the next leap and launched its dedicated home shopping channel after a successful pilot phase where it garnered about 4 lakh customers and built a robust range of about 10000 products.  In its first phase, the channel will reach out to viewers in over 700 cities with a population of over 1 lakh. This will be followed shortly by a launch in the Metros. The channel is truly a shoppers’ delight, offering its viewers an immense variety of innovative and exclusive products at attractive prices.  All this, from the comfort of their homes.

HomeShop18 promises to bring to its viewers interesting content and programming of international production quality through its state-of-the-art studio and extensive infrastructure.  The channel has a wide bouquet of shows catering to a multitude of audiences across genres. From category specific shows like Gadget Bazaar and The Homemaker to special attractions like celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor hosting a cookery show called Chef Ka Tadka, and also the interactive game shows like Bid2Win, the channel brings innovative show concepts that are absolutely fresh, informative and entertaining. To further engage & entertain the audiences, a talented team of anchors will not only educate the viewers on detailed product knowledge but will also give recommendations on how these products can suit their lifestyle needs, thereby becoming the ideal shopping companions.

Starting off with an e-commerce portal, HomeShop18 has today become a full fledged 24 hour channel in a span of just 12 months! HomeShop18 caters to the needs of 400000 customers and has over 200 reputed brands on board like Motorola, Whirlpool, Philips, Sanyo, Tata AIG, Disney, Gitanjali Gems and Tanishq, to name a few. The 24-hour call centre, allowing consumers to call and book orders as per their convenience, handles 60000 calls per day and books 1000 orders a day. HomeShop18 has developed a nationwide distribution capability to reach over 1600 cities ranging from Andaman to Arunachal and from Kashmir to Kanyakumari .

Sundeep Malhotra, CEO, HomeShop18 said on the occasion, “Staying true to our promise of offering convenience of anytime shopping, HomeShop18, India’s first 24 hour home shopping channel is here to change the way India shops. Offering its viewers a delightful customer experience with great quality products at exceptional value supported by an unparalled nationwide delivery mechanism, we are here to transform the retail experience by presenting a smart and intelligent alternative with an assurance of ‘what you see is what you get’.” .

Commenting on the launch of HomeShop18, Mr. Raghav Bahl, Managing Director, Network18 Group said, “This is a great moment for us. Network18 has always believed in staying ahead of times and have pioneered many ventures.  HomeShop18 is a true example of the same. The channel will enable the consumer, even in the remotest part of the country, with a wide range of product choices and availability at their doorsteps; Enlighten them with detailed product information and entertain the viewers with interesting and innovative programming, thus revolutionizing shopping in India”.

Targeted at all age groups, the channel’s core focus is the modern housewife who is pressed for time for shopping and seeks the pleasure of a convenient and reliable shopping alternative. The ease of having branded quality products at reasonable prices delivered at one’s doorstep is the common denominator for our target group. Easy payment options with no hidden costs and free home delivery on all products anywhere in India makes HomeShop18 an attractive shopping option. The channel’s content and gamut of products also attract the youth by offering them the latest gadgets, cosmetics, apparels and much more. As a whole the channel is a perfect fit catering to the shopping needs of the entire family.


About Network18
Network18[BSE: 532798,NSE: Network18] is one of India's leading full play media conglomerates with interests in television, print, internet, filmed entertainment, mobile content and allied businesses. Through its holding in Television Eighteen India Ltd (TV18) [BSE: 532299, NSE: TV-18], Network18 operates India’s leading business news television channels, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz. It also runs one of India’s largest Internet players - Web18, as well as one of India’s leading real time financial information and news terminals - Newswire18. TV18 has recently expanded into print with the acquisition of Infomedia, India's leading player in the B2B publishing and printing operations space, and announced a collaboration with Forbes media for the launch of a business magazine in India and is in the process of launching a Hindi business daily for the Indian market via a 50:50 JV with Jagran Prakashan. Through its holding in Global Broadcast News Ltd (GBN) [BSE: 532800,NSE: GBN]

Network18 operates in the general news and entertainment space with leading general news channels CNN-IBN and IBN7 and has also launched a Marathi news channel in partnership with the Lokmat group. GBN also operates a joint venture with Viacom, called Viacom18 which houses the MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon channels in India - as also Studio18, the Group’s filmed entertainment operation and will be launching a Hindi general entertainment channel.  Additionally, Network18 holds the Group’s online & on-air home shopping venture, Homeshop18 and its full spectrum events management venture, E18. For more information, log on to www.network18online.com ,

About HomeShop18
Network18 Group, India’s leading business news broadcast company together with SAIF partners (South Asia Infrastructure Funds), is venturing into virtual shopping with HomeShop18. HomeShop18 is mandated to create India’s first comprehensive virtual retail business, operating in a multimedia environment including television, web, catalogue and other media to reach customers across the country directly.

Under Network18’s credible umbrella, HomeShop18 is partnering with the finest companies to bring reputed brands. It also brings great quality products at excellent value propositions. It is committed to providing a delightful customer experience, through entertaining and informative content on TV and the Web, a high quality customer contact centre and an efficient nationwide logistics footprint covering 1600 cities across India. Its highly customer-centric practices make shopping with HomeShop18 a smarter and more intelligent alternative.

HomeShop18 offers its customers great options like, 15-days no questions asked money-back guarantee, free home delivery and multiple payment options that include interest free EMI, cheque/dd pick up and cash on delivery. The convenience of ‘anytime shopping’ incorporates a wide-array of products across various product categories like electronics, health & beauty, home décor & kitchen, kids & toys, jewelry, gifts, services etc. Utmost importance is given to quality assurance and assessment of products, in sync with Network18’s strong brand attributes of trust and credibility. Aided by a dedicated team of dynamic professionals, HomeShop18 is committed to providing cost effective and innovative products to discerning consumers across India. Visit www.homeshop18.com for a delightful shopping experience!

Network18 & Lokmat Group launch ‘IBN-Lokmat’
~The first Marathi News Channel of International standards~
New Delhi, April 7, 2008: Network18’s Global Broadcast News (GBN), India’s leading News Network, and the Lokmat Group, Maharashtra’s leading Newspaper group, present IBN-Lokmat - a 24-hour Marathi News and Current Affairs Channel. The legacy of these two renowned media powerhouses will give IBN-Lokmat a sense of immense credibility as well as access to a vast audience base. Going on air from April 6, IBN-Lokmat will be a world-class credible News channel for the highly aware and conscious ‘Progressive Marathi’. The channel is home to the finest new age multimedia journalists led by Nikhil Wagle as the Editor and Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, IBN Network.

Through its content, programming, state-of-the-art broadcast centre, extensive infrastructure and international production quality, IBN-Lokmat will embark on the principle of delivering news with the spirit of ‘Chala, Jag Jinkuya!’ (Literally meaning, ‘Let’s conquer the World). As credible journalism empowers people it gives them the inner confidence to take control of their surroundings and bring about change. IBN-Lokmat seeks to do just that and more. With reporters in every district of Maharashtra, and access to national and global networks, IBN Lokmat promises to become a bridge between Maharashtra and the wider world.

“The channel will talk in contemporary Marathi, be inclusive in its approach, will not mince words when it comes to taking up an issue and shall be highly interactive and informative. Over a period of time, the channel will become the most dependable source of information in Marathi across Media. The channel will focus on Maharashtra and not only on Mumbai” Said, Nikhil Wagle, Editor, IBN-Lokmat.

Sharing his views on the channel, Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, IBN Network said, “IBN-Lokmat will be tailored on the lines of CNN-IBN and IBN7 and hence the spotlight will continue to stay rooted on the journalistic spirit of ‘Whatever it Takes’. With editorial integration between GBN and Lokmat, we hope to become the voice of Maharashtra and the channel’s content will not only reflect the mood of the viewers, but will also successfully influence popular opinion”.

The programming will be informative with a holistic mix of news from across genres including local, regional, national, international, sports, movies, theatre, fashion, etc. and will cater to a myriad of audiences across the Marathi speaking belt. A list of some of IBN-Lokmat’s show can be found in the annexure attached.

Commenting on the joint venture, Vijay Darda, Chairman, Lokmat Group said, “The joint-venture will blend together Lokmat's reach and understanding of the Marathi mind and GBN’s world class standards to create a credible Marathi news channel. I am confident that this relationship will further expand and strengthen this endeavour that is IBN-Lokmat.”

BHARAT KAPADIA TAKES CHARGE AT JAGRAN-TV18 JV
To lead the Indian Language business daily
Mr.Bharat Kapadia, one of the most experienced executives in the Indian print media space, will be taking on the leadership mantle at the recently announced JAGRAN-TV18 JV. He has joined as CEO and Managing Editor of Jagran-18 Publications Ltd

As will be recalled, TV18,a listed subsidiary of Network18,one of India’s leading full play media conglomerates and Jagran Prakashan (JPL), one of India’s most acclaimed print majors & publisher of India’s largest read daily ‘Dainik Jagran’ had announced a 50:50 joint venture initiative in the business print space. The primary mandate of this JV is to launch a Hindi business daily for the Indian market in 2008. Subsequently, this will be followed by other Indian language dailies focused on financial and economic news.

Commenting on this development, Mr. Mahendra Mohan, Chairman and Managing Director of Jagran Prakashan Ltd said “The language media space has revealed strong potential for specialized business news & information, which, this venture will fulfill. The business dailies that will be launched through this venture will further strengthen Jagran Prakashan’s portfolio of market leading offerings to its millions of readers. Bharat’s credentials in the print media space are exemplary and we believe he will be a real strength to us as we create value from this opportunity”

Mr.Haresh Chawla, Group CEO, Network18 said “Strategically, our print foray, including the business daily venture with Jagran, marks the next level of growth for Network18 as we strengthen our position as India’s leading full play media & entertainment entity. Bharat comes with many years of rich experience in the publishing space and an intricate knowledge of building long lasting print brands and thus will be an invaluable asset in our print plans”

Mr.Kapadia added “With the increasing economic growth in the country and rapid transformation of consumer tastes and media habits in all regional markets, the print space has become a centre of innovation and activity. The Jagran-TV18 JV presents an exciting proposition of building a leading print brand that fulfills the ever growing need for business news & information. Moreover, I was most impressed with the growth plans and work culture of both the JV partners and I’m delighted to be a part of it”

Mr.Kapadia was previously the Executive Director at the Bhaskar Group. Prior to that, Mr.Kapadia led the transformation of ‘Chitralekha’ into a strong regional brand. Amongst his most recent accomplishments has been the ‘Vote for Taj’ project, the movement for Taj Mahal’s inclusion in the New 7 wonders of the world, which he spearheaded.Mr.Kapadia is widely recognized as one of the most prominent names in print media. He has been featured twice by Mid-Day, the afternoon daily, as one of the Top 50 Power Points in media as well as by ‘Pitch’ magazine. He has won the coveted Ad Club Media Innovation Award twice and the Emvies Media Marketer of the Year Award in 2001.Mr.Kapadia has held important posts in various industrial bodies including Chairman, Project Press Committee of the Indian Newspaper Society; Board member and ex-chairman, Advertising Standards Council of India; and Ex-chairman, Media Research Users’ Council.

ABOUT JAGRAN PRAKASHAN

Jagran Prakashan Limited is a leading media house of India which publishes Dainik Jagran, India's largest read daily with a total readership of 53.6 million readers (IRS 2007 R2). It was also voted the most credible and trusted newspaper in India, according to a survey by Globscan, conducted in 10 of the world's leading countries, including the US, UK, Germany and Russia. In addition to Dainik Jagran, Jagran Prakashan is also a publisher of I-Next, a fast growing daily, City Plus an English infotainment weekly, Sakhi a monthly magazine targeted at women and various other journals and statistical compilation. Jagran Prakashan Limited provides outdoor advertising through Jagran Engage, event management services through Jagran Solutions, and IVR/AVR/SMS services through short code 57272 across the country. Jagran Prakashan Limited has its presence in web space through its dedicated arm J9 and has in association with Yahoo India a co- branded Hindi news portal jagran.yahoo .in which has enjoyed the status of most visited Hindi news portal in the world.

ABOUT NETWORK18

Network18[BSE: 532798,NSE: Network18] is one of India's leading full play media conglomerates with interests in television, print, internet, filmed entertainment, mobile content and allied businesses. Through its holding in Television Eighteen India Ltd (TV18) [BSE: 532299, NSE: TV-18], Network18 operates India’s leading business news television channels, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz. It also runs one of India’s largest Internet players - Web18, as well as one of India’s leading real time financial information and news terminals - Newswire18. TV18 has recently expanded into print with the acquisition of Infomedia, India's leading player in the B2B publishing and printing operations space, and announced a collaboration with Forbes media for the launch of a business magazine in India and is in process of launching a Hindi business daily for the Indian market via a 50:50 JV with Jagran Prakashan. Through its holding in Global Broadcast News Ltd (GBN) [BSE: 532800,NSE: GBN], Network18 operates in the general news and entertainment space with leading general news channels CNN-IBN and IBN7 and will be launching a Marathi news channel in partnership with the Lokmat group. GBN also operates a joint venture with Viacom, called Viacom18 which houses the MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon channels in India - as also Studio18, the Group’s filmed entertainment operation and will be launching a Hindi general entertainment channel. Additionally, Network18 holds the Group’s online & on-air home shopping venture, Homeshop18 and its full spectrum events management venture, E18. For more information, log on to www.network18online.com

For more information please contact:
Karishma Shah / Akshat Jain
Hanmer & Partners Communications Pvt Ltd
022 6752 42600

GLOBAL BROADCAST NEWS (GBN, A NETWORK 18 GROUP COMPANY) ANNOUNCES CONSOLIDATION OF IBN 7.
IBN 7 TO BE MERGED WITH GBN, GBN STOCK SPLIT 5:1
December 19, 2007

The Network 18 Group announced the complete consolidation of the 24 hour Hindi news channel, IBN-7 with GBN, the Group’s general news arm. The Channel is currently housed in a joint venture with Gupta family, the promoters of Dainik Jagran.

GBN had earlier announced the acquisition of equity stake held by New Vernon in IBN-7 and its Board today approved a Scheme of Arrangement, in terms of which the IBN-7 Channel will be consolidated with GBN. BMR Advisors acted as the transaction and financial advisors for the consolidation.

The consolidation is subject to relevant regulatory and stakeholder approvals. Pursuant to the consolidation, it is intended that 1,467,390 equity shares of Rs 10 each of GBN (being 4. 45% of GBN’s Capital on a fully diluted basis after effect of the Scheme and the exercise of 3,000,000 warrants by the promoters ) be issued to the Gupta family in consideration of the consolidation. A further 1,793,478 equity shares of Rs 10 each of GBN are proposed to be held in a Trust – which Trust shall be capable of monetizing this stake, for the benefit of GBN’s shareholders.

The Board also accorded approval for sub-division of the nominal value of its equity share from the present Rs 10 per share to Rs 2 per share resulting in a 5 for 1 stock split. The stock split will be subject to shareholders approval, which will be sought through a postal ballot and will then apply in respect of the shares to be issued on the consolidation as well.

GBN is currently listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange.

GBN owns and operates one of India's leading 24-hour English language news and current affairs channel, CNN IBN, and is a market leader in this category. The Company is also entering the regional news space with the launch of a Marathi news channel with Lokmat Group. This consolidation is part of the vision of GBN to emerge as an integrated player in the Indian General News Broadcasting Segment having news and current affairs channels in various languages.

About Network 18:

Network18 is one of India's leading full play media conglomerates with interests in television, internet, filmed entertainment, mobile content and allied businesses. Through it’s holding in Television Eighteen India Ltd (TV18), Network18 operates India’s leading business news television channels, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz. It also runs India’s leading Internet company Web18, as well as one of India’s leading real time news terminal providers, Newswire18. Through its holding in Global Broadcast News Ltd (GBN), Network18 operates in the general news and entertainment space with general news channels CNN-IBN and IBN7, and operates a joint venture with Viacom, called Viacom18. This JV operates the MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon channels in India - as also Studio18, the Group’s filmed entertainment operation and will be launching a Hindi general entertainment channel. Additionally, Network18 holds the Group’s online & on-air home shopping venture, Homeshop18. The group has recently moved into print with the acquisition of Infomedia, which is a leading player in the Indian publishing space with several magazines & runs one of the largest printing operations in the country and announced a collaboration with Forbes, one of the leading business magazine brands in the world. The Group is also moving towards operationalizing a 50:50 joint venture initiative in the business print space with Jagran Prakashan Limited. The primary mandate of this JV will be to launch a Hindi business daily for the Indian market in 2008.The Group has announced forays, organic and inorganic, into event management, regional news and other areas.

TV18, a Network18 group company & JAGRAN PRAKASHAN
announce category creating JV. To launch India’s first Hindi business daily
December 18, 2007

Network18, India’s leading media conglomerate and Jagran Prakashan (JPL), one of India’s most acclaimed print majors & publisher of India’s largest read daily ‘Dainik Jagran’ have announced a 50:50 joint venture initiative in the business print space. The primary mandate of this JV will be to launch a Hindi business daily for the Indian market in 2008. Subsequently, this will be followed by other Indian language dailies focused on financial and economic news

This JV will in effect create a new category of local language business dailies within the India print space, as this will be the first Hindi business paper to hit the market nationally. This venture also marks an expansion of print offerings from Network18 into the dailies space, post the recent announcement of its magazine publishing arrangement with Forbes media and ownership control of Infomedia, India’s leading publishers in the B2B media space. This venture is also a reiteration of JPL’s intent and commitment to provide its readers news and information in all genres.

The venture has been positioned to benefit from the respective competencies of TV18 & Jagran Prakashan. Television Eighteen (TV18) is a recognized leader in the business media space, with a roster of brands across television, online and information terminal platforms such as CNBC-TV18 & CNBC AWAAZ which are India’s leading business channels, Moneycontrol.com which is India’s No.1 financial news & information portal and Newswire18, India’s leading real time news & data platform.Jagran Prakashan Limited publishes “Dainik Jagran”,India’s largest read daily besides recently launched youth oriented compacts “I-Next” and “City Plus”. TV18 shall bring forth its expertise in business content to the JV, while JPL shall bring forth its print competencies including operational expertise, print and related infrastructure and distribution to the venture. Both TV18 & JPL have agreed to co-promote the offerings under the venture and exploit cross platform synergy opportunities present from both sides. It is noteworthy that 3 years ago, TV18 had launched CNBC AWAAZ, a consumer focused business channel, to cater to the needs of the Hindi business viewer. It soon emerged as a leader in the Hindi business news segment & a major contributor to the expansion of business audiences in the country.

Mahendra Mohan Gupta, CMD, Jagran Prakashan Limited said “Our leadership in the Indian print space will further be strengthened with the launch of business dailies. This venture is based on a commonness of vision we share with TV18 on a strong need for a high quality business print offering in Hindi and other languages. Our experience in the language media space has revealed a growing interest in specialized business news & information, which, this vehicle will enable us to cater. I am confident that we will live upto the expectations of our readers as hitherto and expand the financial market, in the geographies that are going to play a crucial role in the economic growth of the country in times to come”.

Commenting on this announcement, Raghav Bahl, MD, Network18 added “The fact that ‘Bharat’ is rapidly emerging as the key driver of the Indian economic opportunity is fairly evident. In recent years, business audiences have grown immensely in the Hindi heartland and regional markets, reflecting a democratization of enterprise & wealth creation across the nation. The leadership of CNBC AWAAZ is a strong affirmation of this new reality as well as indicative of a great need for language products across the business media spectrum. We are delighted to partner Jagran Prakashan as it will allow us to fulfill this need powerfully in the print space, by combining TV18’s strengths in business content with Jagran’s intimate understanding of print markets”

The JV will be governed by a board, comprising of representatives from TV18 & Jagran Prakashan, which will oversee management plans and execution. The operational specifics in terms of brand name for the business daily, selection of the editorial and business team and so on is in the process of being formalized. The JV will be funded through an initial equity infusion from both sides followed by internal accruals & debt financing in the later stage.

ABOUT JAGRAN PRAKASHAN

Jagran Prakashan Limited is a leading media house of India which publishes Dainik Jagran, India's largest read daily with a total readership of 53.6 million readers (IRS 2007 R2). It was also voted the most credible and trusted newspaper in India, according to a survey by Globscan, conducted in 10 of the world's leading countries, including the US, UK, Germany and Russia. In addition to Dainik Jagran, Jagran Prakashan is also a publisher of I-Next, a fast growing daily, City Plus an English infotainment weekly, Sakhi a monthly magazine targeted at women and various other journals and statistical compilation. Jagran Prakashan Limited provides outdoor advertising through Jagran Engage, event management services through Jagran Solutions, and IVR/AVR/SMS services through short code 57272 across the country. Jagran Prakashan Limited has its presence in web space through its dedicated arm J9 and has in association with Yahoo India a co- branded Hindi news portal jagran.yahoo .in which has enjoyed the status of most visited Hindi news portal in the world.

ABOUT NETWORK18

Network18 is one of India's leading full play media conglomerates with interests in television, internet, filmed entertainment, mobile content and allied businesses. Through its holding in Television Eighteen India Ltd (TV18), Network18 operates India’s leading business news television channels, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz. It also runs India’s leading Internet company Web18, as well as one of India’s leading real time news terminal providers, Newswire18. Through its holding in Global Broadcast News Ltd (GBN), Network18 operates in the general news and entertainment space with general news channels CNN-IBN and IBN7, and operates a joint venture with Viacom, called Viacom18. This JV operates the MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon channels in India - as also Studio18, the Group’s filmed entertainment operation and will be launching a Hindi general entertainment channel. Additionally, Network18 holds the Group’s online & on-air retail venture, Homeshop18. The group has recently acquired Infomedia, which is a leading player in the Indian publishing space with several magazines & runs one of the largest printing operations in the country. The Group has announced forays, organic and inorganic, into event management, regional news and other areas.



TV18 (Network18 Group Company) and FORBES ink strategic alliance– Plan to launch business magazine in India in early 2008


Haresh Chawla, Group CEO, Network18 & William P.Adamopoulos, President & Publisher, Forbes Asia

December 14, 2007:

TV18, a group company of NETWORK18, India’s leading media conglomerate, is all set to launch a business magazine in India in partnership with FORBES MEDIA, one of the world’s most respected business publishers. The partnership will include a content licensing arrangement and will also envisage introduction of other Forbes products, subject to regulatory approval.

This partnership further enhances and complements TV18’s strong business offerings in the television and internet space. Currently, TV18 operates India’s leading business channels CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, besides Newswire18 and a host of web properties like moneycontrol.com. The partnership with Forbes will bring in strengths in the print space and will synergize well with its television and new media properties. It will also complement TV18’s recent acquisition of Infomedia, which is India’s leading player in the publishing space with several magazines and runs one of India’s largest printing operations.

Forbes magazine itself is a legendary business brand celebrating 90 years of existence this year. It enjoys a loyal following amongst a 5-million strong global audience comprising of business leaders, entrepreneurs, corporate executives and upwardly mobile professionals. In recent years, Forbes magazine has increased its international presence with highly successful titles such as ‘Forbes Asia’ and licensed local language editions such as ‘Forbes China’, ‘Forbes Russia’ ‘Forbes Arabia’ amongst others. Forbes magazine is renowned for its wide array of business content ranging from leadership, finance & international business to marketing, technology & entrepreneurship. It has also diversified into being a globally accepted benchmark for quality & performance with its famous lists covering companies, people & places, education, personal finance, sports, lifestyle & technology, apart from special reports.

Commenting on this partnership, Raghav Bahl, MD, Network18 said “Our partnership with Forbes for a business magazine in India is another compelling testimony to the growing acceptance of the Indian growth story worldwide. Rapid economic expansion, change in consumer mindsets and deepening of the market economy in the country have led to an enabling environment for business brands. We will be strongly positioned to deliver a benchmark offering in the market by fusing the strong editorial and brand lineage of Forbes and our proven expertise in the Indian business media market”

Said Steve Forbes, Chairman, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Forbes on the partnership, “India is one of the prime markets Forbes has wanted to enter for sometime. We were waiting for the right partner and are so pleased that we have reached a partnership agreement with Network18, one of the most respected and fastest-growing media companies in India. We look forward to making Forbes available to this forceful market soon.”

Haresh Chawla, Group CEO, Network18 further added “Forbes is an ideal partner for us as we expand our competencies into the print medium and thus strengthen our position as one of India’s leading full play media conglomerates. India’s readership potential is yet to be fully tapped and as the market evolves, credible and strong brands will succeed in the print space. With our experience in business media as well also our ability to deploy global media brands successfully in the Indian market, we are confident of an enriching association with Forbes. We see a lot of opportunity for value creation in this partnership by unleashing cross platform synergies and developing a roster of market leading offerings in the coming years. The addition of Forbes will further energize our business portfolio which already commands leadership through CNBC-TV18 & CNBC AWAAZ, Newswire18 and web offerings such as moneycontrol.com, indiaearnings.com”

"As the world's foremost champion of entrepreneurial capitalism, we at Forbes are excited to partner with the accomplished media entrepreneurs at Network18 to bring the Forbes brand and style of journalism to India - home of many of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs" said William Adamopoulos, President and Publisher of Forbes Asia. "This partnership in India complements and builds upon our existing Pan-Asian network of Forbes Asia, Forbes China, Forbes Korea and Forbes Nihonban.”

ABOUT NETWORK18:

Network18 is one of India's leading full play media conglomerates with interests in television, internet, filmed entertainment, mobile content and allied businesses. Through it’s holding in Television Eighteen India Ltd (TV18), Network18 operates India’s leading business news television channels, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz. It also runs India’s leading Internet company Web18, as well as one of India’s leading real time news terminal providers, Newswire18. Through its holding in Global Broadcast News Ltd (GBN), Network18 operates in the general news and entertainment space with general news channels CNN-IBN and IBN7, and operates a joint venture with Viacom, called Viacom18. This JV operates the MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon channels in India - as also Studio18, the Group’s filmed entertainment operation and will be launching a Hindi general entertainment channel. Additionally, Network18 holds the Group’s online & on-air retail venture, Homeshop18. The group has recently acquired Infomedia, which is a leading player in the Indian publishing space with several magazines & runs one of the largest printing operations in the country. The Group has announced forays, organic and inorganic, into event management, regional news and other areas.

ABOUT FORBES MEDIA:

Forbes Media was formed in August 2006 as a result of an investment in Forbes by Elevation Partners, in which the private equity firm became a minority shareholder in a newly formed company, encompassing Forbes magazine, Forbes.com and other media properties. Forbes.com reaches in excess of 20 million people monthly. Forbes is the publisher of Forbes, the nation’s leading business magazine - celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2007- and its international edition, Forbes Asia, which together reach a worldwide audience of nearly five million readers. Forbes.com is the company’s Internet business, which is the homepage for the world’s business leaders and the #1 business site on the Web. The company also publishes Forbes Life and Forbes Life Executive Woman. Forbes’ local-language editions include: Forbes Nihonban, Forbes Korea, Forbes China, Forbes Russia, Forbes Arabia, Forbes Israel, Forbes Poland and Forbes Turkey.

 
Network18 Group Forays into Publishing
Television 18 India Ltd. Acquires Strategic Control of Infomedia India Ltd.
December 12, 2007:

TV 18 has announced the acquisition of at least 53 percent stake in Infomedia India Ltd., India’s leading publication company from an ICICI Venture managed fund. The stake shall be purchased in a staggered manner – 40 percent immediately, followed by an open offer for 20 percent of Infomedia. In the event that the open offer does not garner enough response, then TV 18 has the right to purchase such number of shares from the ICICI Venture managed fund so as to augment its stake up to at least 53 percent. The transaction is subject to statutory and regulatory clearances, wherever necessary.

TV18 has acquired the above 40 percent stake for a total purchase consideration of Rs. 178 crores. This acquisition would enable TV 18 to enter the fast growing publication businesses. TV18 will also benefit from the cross media leverage of its existing brands. YES Bank was the exclusive financial advisor to ICICI Venture Ltd. and BMR Advisors assisted TV18 for the transaction.

Infomedia India Ltd has further agreed to issue 50 lakh warrants to TV 18 and 10 lakh warrants to the ICICI Venture managed fund. This issue is as per SEBI pricing norms and this fresh infusion of funds will be used to propel further growth in Infomedia.

Recognizing this as a significant milestone, Mr. Raghav Bahl – Managing Director, Network18 said, “This acquisition signifies our commitment to being an integrated player in the media and publishing space. This acquisition has come at an opportune time and will significantly accelerate our publishing growth plans.”

Haresh Chawla, Group CEO, Network18 , said, “Infomedia has carved a niche for itself with its exciting array of publishing assets and national footprint. The fresh infusion of funds, combined with the strong management team at Infomedia will form a potent combination, thereby enabling the company to significantly leverage Network 18’s strengths in the television, internet and mobile businesses.”

Excited at the prospects of being part of a larger media group, Prakash Iyer, Managing Director of Infomedia said that ‘We are excited about TV 18’s strategic acquisition of Infomedia and look forward to building a bigger organization. Infomedia is already a leading publishing player and this acquisition will enhance the marketing of our value added offerings, which will be extremely relevant in a rapidly changing Indian media market. Our success today is largely also attributable to the continued support and commitment that ICICI Venture has provided to Infomedia’.

Infomedia is one of the first leveraged buyouts in India led by ICICI Venture. The sale process of ICICI Venture’s stake had witnessed strong interests from several strategic and financial investors, including international majors. ICICI Venture’s Managing Director and CEO, Ms. Renuka Ramnath said "This is definitely a landmark deal in the fast growing media and publishing space between two leading players in the industry. Since the buyout, we have worked hard with the management to build a unique business model that is profitable and scalable. We believe that Infomedia is an excellent platform for TV Eighteen to meet its leadership aspirations in the media and publication space.’ This is the second successful leveraged buyout exit by ICICI Venture in the recent past (earlier one being Ace Refractories), indicating the fund’s ability to buy out companies, scale them up and make successful exits.

About Network18

Network18 is one of India's leading full play media conglomerates with interests in television, internet, filmed entertainment, mobile content and allied businesses. Through its holding in Television Eighteen India Ltd (TV18), Network18 operates India's leading business news television channels - CNBC TV18 and CNBC Awaaz. It also runs India's leading Internet company Web18, as well as one of India's leading real time news terminal providers, Newswire18. Through its holding in Global Broadcast News Ltd (GBN), Network18 operates in the general news and entertainment space with general news channels CNN-IBN and IBN7, and operates a joint venture with Viacom called Viacom18. This JV operates the MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon channels in India - as also Studio18, the Group's filmed entertainment operation and will be launching a Hindi general entertainment channel. Additionally, Network18 holds the Group's online & on-air retail venture, Homeshop18. The Group has recently announced forays, organic and inorganic, into event management, regional news and other areas.

About ICICI Venture

ICICI Venture is one of the largest and most successful private equity firms in India with funds under management in excess of USD 2 billion. Its investment focus areas span across private equity, buyouts, real estate and mezzanine financing. ICICI Venture, over the years has built an enviable portfolio of companies across sectors including media, pharmaceuticals, Information Technology, manufacturing, logistics, textiles, real estate etc thereby building sustainable value.

About Infomedia India Ltd.

Infomedia India Limited is India’s leading media company with strong market presence in diverse business areas spanning Business Directories, Magazine Publishing, Printing Services and Publishing Outsourcing. A pan-Indian network covering 22 cities and over 1,600 employees gives Infomedia a national footprint. The Company is the undisputed market leader in Yellow Pages and Special Interest Publishing and one of the most respected contract printers in the country. Infomedia has recently forayed into the Publishing Outsourcing segment and is well-placed to consolidate its position in this booming market with tremendous growth potential. For the year 2006-07, the Company had a turnover of Rs 2.0 billion and an EBITDA of Rs. 357 million.

TV18 Group is now Network18
September 9, 2007

Starting September 9, the TV18 Group, India’s fastest growing media conglomerate, will be rechristened ‘Network18’.

Network18, will unveil a new corporate identity for the Group which today has a market capitalization of over US$ 2 billion and an industry defying growth rate.

The new Network18 branding will unify all current and future entities of the erstwhile TV18 Group under a single, unified umbrella. Existing companies such as TV18, GBN, Web18, Homeshop18, Viacom18, Studio18, Events18 etc will reflect the new corporate identity.

Today, Network18 has businesses straddling filmed entertainment, news television, music television, news portals, mobile content, on-air / online shopping, show ticketing, jobs and travel portals, real time data terminals, TV channel distribution, event management and more. Network18 is also probably the only entity in the world, which has partnered three global media giants – NBC, Time Warner and Viacom.

Simple yet striking, the new red and white Network18 logo reflects the company’s brand identity - a window to an ever-changing world - in addition to connoting the stature and ambitions of this emerging global media corporation. The re-branding, designed by India's leading brand identity consultants, Ray + Keshavan, encapsulates the essence of the network through three essential tenets – Simple yet striking, the new red and white Network18 logo reflects the company’s brand identity - a window to an ever-changing world - in addition to connoting the stature and ambitions of this emerging global media corporation. The re-branding, designed by India's leading brand identity consultants, Ray + Keshavan, encapsulates the essence of the network through three essential tenets – Enable, Enlighten, Entertain.

Speaking on the occasion of the company’s anniversary, Raghav Bahl, Managing Director, Network18 said, “We have come a long way since TV18 began in 1992 as a small production house. From television news to filmed entertainment, Network18 leaves little untouched and unconquered, thus taking it a step closer to becoming the undisputed media mega brand! Despite our rapid growth and diversification, the one thing that has not changed, is our vision to be ‘better than the best’ and to continuously set new standards in this fast growing industry.”

“Network18 has built some of the most enviable media brands and audience franchises in India and we continue to work aggressively towards building India’s finest truly multi-platform media conglomerate. The new Network18 identity unites our over 3000 strong team and operations with a common set of values and aligns them behind a common purpose. The unified identity will help us harness the power of our individual brands and build an even stronger relationship with all our stakeholders. It is an exhilarating moment for all of us” added Haresh Chawla, Group CEO, Network18.


“Network18 embodies all the attributes of a start-up and combines it with the power to Enable, Enlighten and Entertain every Indian. Over the past decade, the Group has been able to empower more than 80 million Indians. The re-energised entity will aim to reach out to a much larger audience in India and globally. In the process, we also hope to make Network18 the first truly Indian, global media company” said, B. Sai Kumar, Group COO, Network18.

About Network18
Network18 is one of India's leading full play media conglomerates with interests in television, internet, filmed entertainment, mobile content and allied businesses. Through its holding in Television Eighteen India Ltd (TV18), Network18 operates India’s leading business news television channels - CNBC TV18 and CNBC Awaaz. It also runs India’s leading Internet company Web18, as well as one of India’s leading real time news terminal providers, Newswire18. Through its holding in Global Broadcast News Ltd (GBN), Network18 operates in the general news and entertainment space with general news channels CNN-IBN and IBN7, and has announced a joint venture with Viacom to be called Viacom18. This JV will operate the MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon channels in India - as also Studio18, the Group’s filmed entertainment operation and will be launching a Hindi general entertainment channel. Additionally, Network18 holds the Group’s online & on-air retail venture, Homeshop18. The Group has recently announced forays, organic and inorganic, into event management, regional news and other areas.



 
Network18 - The Holding Company of TV18 and Global Broadcast News
Group Revenues at Rs 966.47 mn for Q1
Operating Profit Rs 84.21 mn, Operating Margin 8.71%


July 27, 2007

Highlights:
NOTE: TV18 (including Web18 and Newswire18) and GBN results published separately

1 ) The Network received 18 News Television Awards; more than any other network in India. CNN-IBN received the award for Best English News Channel.

2) Business News Operations maintained their number one position in the genre. CNBC-TV18 and CNBC-Awaaz together lead the Business News genre with over 2/3rd market share.

3) CNBC-Awaaz becomes the first choice of the affluent Hindi speaking audience

4) Moneycontrol.com received more page views per million than wsj.com almost for the entire quarter. Ibnlive.com is ahead of ndtv.com in daily page views.

5) Homeshop18 has built the capacity to reach over 2000 towns in India.

6) Studio18, a division of Network18, released movies in domestic and international theaters. Entered into a special relationship with TIFC – a £ 55 mn fund listed on AIM of London Stock Exchange.

7) Newswire18's revenues surged more than 70% on a QoQ basis; over 1000 terminals installed in “free trial” phase – the number of terminals under full billing are ahead of the Business Plan


Following the meeting of the Sub-Committee of the Board of Directors, Raghav Bahl, Network18’s Managing Director said: “We are extremely happy with this quarter’s performance at the Group’s Holding Company. Our Business News and General News Channels are doing exceptionally well. The Internet properties have started posting robust revenues bringing down the losses. HomeShop18 is continuously reaching new territories.”

Network18 Fincap Limited Consolidated Financial Performance (Unaudited Consolidated) for the quarter ended 30th June 2007



Particulars Q1- 2007-08
Revenue from Operations 966.47
Operating Expense 882.26
Operating Profit 84.21
Operating Margin 8.71%

Extra-ordinary Income (on foreign currency hedge & INR debt derivatives)

35.86
Non recurring Operational Expense (WIP of 14 films transferred) (244.01)
Net Non recurring Profit 34.16
   
Total Operating profit 154.23
   
Net Outflow on Revenue Share with CNBC & CNN (42.41)
Interest/Income from Investments 72.31
Interest Expense (139.07)
Interest (Net) (66.76)
Depreciation (76.39)
   
Total Profit Before Tax, Minority Interest and ESOP Charge Out (31.33)
   
Provision for Current Tax/FBT 14.46
Profits after tax (before minority interest and ESOP charge out) (45.79)
Minority Interest (14.66)
Profits after tax and minority interest
(before ESOP charge out)
(31.13)
ESOP charge out (79.17)
Profits after tax and ESOP charge out (110.30)
Exchange Fluctuations (3.70)
Profits after Exchange Fluctuations (106.60)
Provision for Deferred tax  
Net Profit after Deferred Tax (106.60)
Paid up Equity Share Capital 254.32
EPS (Rs.) without ESOP charge out (0.54)
EPS (Rs.) with ESOP charge out (2.10)

For further information on Business & Operations contact:
Haresh Chawla, CEO
Tel: 022-2490 0413
Fax: 022-5661 8984
e-mail:haresh.chawla@tv18online.com
For further information on financials contact:
R D S Bawa, CFO
Tel: 0120-5341717
Fax: 0120-5324110
e-mail:rds.bawa@tv18online.com

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