My first post of 2008 has become the most popular post on this blog ever, thanks to a series of comments starting with this one and followed by this one. As was helpfully pointed out by other commenters later on in that post, the writer of this blog knows nothing about TV. Fair enough, but I did not write those comments. In fact, the information in some comments could only have come from a fairly close-knit group of people, five according to my knowledge and one of them will not implicate herself and a second does not understand how to hold a mouse.
Of course, subsequently, some random commenters from a distinct range of IP addresses have attacked me, calling me among other things 'Third-Rate', of course, Pawan C's underlings, or maybe himself don't understand certain technological innovations. My identity as was reminded to me today morning is not a state secret, though at the outset I must point out I have no connection with INX or NewsX other than the fact that I know a lot of people who work there.
So who startedrumours that 'The V' was quitting - UndieTV, RajdeepTV? Nope, it appears that the boardroom battle at INX Media has meant that almost all the scurrilous phone calls and text messages came from within.
Firstly it is no secret that certain people have fallen out at INX Media and that a certain woman has been turfed out at NewsX. This person who has been getting stories proclaiming her greatness written usually points to success of 9Xm, but with close to 40 crores spent on distribution which secured a '1+1' deal, 9Xm is currently riding on the prime band that is reserved for NewsX when it launches in March, if it launches.
Why if? Well, on Monday there is a Board Meeting for 9X in Jodhpur, where certain people will have to explain why the ratings and GRP's for the channel have been abysmal. With Sameer Nair and Karan Johar's NDTV Imagine starting on Monday too and despite my reservations about some of the programming, according to some sources Imagine has sold out inventory for over 18 months on some programming - Ramayana to be specific. Now advertisers have been complaining about 9X, which has led to the investors calling this meeting. I also know that 'The V' is not attending this meeting and according to a few people close to a particular group, this is because he is being turfed out, but as was pointed out me, this is a 9X meeting, not INX or NewsX.
Two things can happen at Jodhpur, either the investors pull out of INX or the investors turf out the husband and wife. If a third, and frankly unlikely situation where everybody is happy-happy-joy-joy after the meeting, it is very likely that 'The V' and his team might leave NewsX, because relations have completely broken down.
Pity that another great friendship between two blokes was ruined over buisness and a woman!
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Here's the latest on the sinking ship of 9X. The ratings continue to plummet and the GRP refuses to rise above 45. The investors are livid at the husband-wife team of the Mukherjeas. They are particularly incensed that Peter has allowed his bimbo wife to make such a mess of programming. He has been told that he has to move his wife out and appoint a professional head of programming. And that she can only stay on as CEO is she steers clear of NewsX, where her bimbo style of management has triggered off a revolt among the ranks.
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