'The Next Two Years, You're Only Going To See Losses From DTH'

Rathikant Basu's recent re-appointment as Chairman of News Television India (NTVI) is part of a dramatic eleventh-hour corporate restructuring that took place on the afternoon of February 25, sending bizarre rumours rippling through the industry. Mov

INTERVIEWS Rathikant Basu

15 March 1999

Three key people in programming were asked to quit; Sameer Nair and both of you were moved up. Why the sudden shakeout?

Basu: There was no shakeout; it was an amicable parting. The groundwork was laid for our desi programming, we had to move on to the next phase.

Rumour says that Star has lost too much money and may close down.

Basu: (Laughs) We've almost broken even this year and we're expecting to make a profit next year.

Mukherjea: There's no truth in this. Basu: But you should propagate the rumour so that other channels will stop spending and relax! (Both laugh)

Murdoch is said to be quite a control freak. Is that true?

Basu: India accounts for barely 1 per cent of NewsCorp's business. So he isn't sitting and fretting about India! Murdoch drops in during our annual budget meetings in Hong Kong, which are held every year in April, or he drops in on India, looks at figures and asks questions. He has a great feel for people. And that's why all of us feel...