History of NDTV in Timeline

NDTV is an Indian news media company founded in 1984 by Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy. It operates in both broadcast and digital news, delivering information to a wide audience. The company is a significant player in the Indian media landscape, known for its news coverage and programming.

1984: NDTV Founded

In 1984, New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) was founded by economist Prannoy Roy and journalist Radhika Roy.

1984: New Delhi Television Founded

In 1984, journalist Radhika Roy and economist Prannoy Roy founded New Delhi Television as a production house for news segments.

1988: Commercial News Network

In 1988, New Delhi Television was converted into a commercial news network, becoming India's first independent television news network.

1989: Coverage of Indian General Election

In 1989, Doordarshan contracted NDTV to produce coverage of the Indian general elections, which became widely popular and the first televised live coverage of an election result in India.

1989: Tiananmen Square Protests and Massacre

In 1989, The news bulletin covered the Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.

1993: CNN Collaboration

In 1993, CNN began collaborating with NDTV to produce select coverage for the weekly news bulletin, 'The World This Week'.

1995: The World This Week

In 1995, 'The World This Week' aired till 10:00 pm and was described as the only India-based program which looked out at the rest of the world.

1995: Proposal to Doordarshan and launch of 'News Tonight'

In 1995, NDTV presented a proposal to Doordarshan to move its production to a daily half-hour news bulletin on DD Metro which was accepted, and the bulletin 'News Tonight' launched.

1997: Doordarshan Director General Resigns

In 1997, Doordarshan director general Rathikant Basu left the public broadcaster and joined Star Network, leading to scrutiny of his activities.

January 1998: CBI Files Cases Against NDTV and Doordarshan Officials

On January 20, 1998, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed several cases against Rathikant Basu, five other officials of Doordarshan, and Prannoy Roy, alleging "irregularities" in NDTV's dealings with Doordarshan.

February 1998: Star News Launch

In February 1998, Star News was launched as the first independent 24x7 news channel in India, through a five-year contract between NDTV and Rupert Murdoch's Star Network.

1998: Partnership with Star India

In 1998, NDTV partnered with Star India and launched the first 24x7 news channel in India.

1999: NDTV Launches News Website

In 1999, NDTV launched its own news website called ndtv.com which streamed live webcasts of its productions and generated 55,000 daily views within a month of its launch.

1999: Peter Mukerjea CEO of Star India

In 1999, Peter Mukerjea was the CEO of Star India.

2000: NDTV News Bulletin Removed from Star Plus

In 2000, the NDTV news bulletin on Star Plus was removed, speculated to be a sign of conflict regarding editorial independence and revenue generation.

2002: Star News Coverage of Gujarat Riots

In 2002, Star News covered the Gujarat riots with investigative reports, in-depth analyses and live reporting, resulting in it being blacked out for a day by the Gujarat Government.

2002: Negotiations Between NDTV and Star India

In 2002, Star was willing to continue the contract with NDTV but without complete editorial control which was unacceptable to the Roys.

March 2003: End of NDTV-Star India Contract

NDTV continued producing news segments for Star News until March 31, 2003, after negotiations with Star India fell apart due to disagreements over editorial control.

2003: Independent Broadcasting Network

In 2003, NDTV became an independent broadcasting network with the simultaneous launch of the Hindi and English language news channels NDTV India and NDTV 24x7.

2003: Launch of NDTV India and NDTV 24x7

In 2003, NDTV launched two channels NDTV India (Hindi) and NDTV 24x7 (English).

December 2004: Highest Market Capitalization

In December 2004, NDTV stood as the media company with the highest market capitalisation, at a valuation of ₹1,433 crore.

2005: 19 Offices and Studios

By the end of 2005, NDTV had 19 offices and studios across the country.

2005: Launch of NDTV Profit

In 2005, the network launched a business news channel called NDTV Profit.

2006: Partnership with Astro

In 2006, NDTV partnered with Astro to launch a Bahasa Melayu infotainment channel Astro Awani while taking a stake of 20% in the joint venture.

September 2007: Launch of NDTV Good Times

On September 7, 2007, NDTV launched the first lifestyle channel in India called NDTV Good Times.

2007: Appointment of K. V. L. Narayan Rao as CEO

In 2007, K. V. L. Narayan Rao was appointed as the chief executive officer (CEO) of NDTV.

2007: Launch of NDTV Arabia

In 2007, NDTV launched NDTV Arabia, an English and Hindi news channel based in Dubai targeting Indian expatriates.

2007: Peter Mukerjea CEO of Star India

In 2007, Peter Mukerjea was the CEO of Star India.

January 2008: Strategic partnership with NBCUniversal and Launch of NDTV Imagine

In January 2008, NDTV partnered with NBCUniversal to expand into general entertainment in India. NBCUniversal acquired a 26% stake in NDTV. On 21 January 2008, NDTV launched its first general entertainment channel, NDTV Imagine, aided by Sameer Nair. NDTV Imagine Ltd also launched NDTV Imagine Picture, NDTV Imagine Showbiz, and NDTV Lumiere.

August 2009: Debt Transfer to Reliance Industries Subsidiary

In August 2009, NDTV's promoters' debt was transferred to a shell company owned by a subsidiary of Reliance Industries due to ongoing open offer for buyback of shares and the stock prices at the Bombay Stock Exchange.

October 2009: NBCUniversal Pulls Out of Partnership

In October 2009, NBCUniversal ended its partnership with NDTV, selling its shares back to the company. Shortly after, Time Warner acquired a majority stake in NDTV Imagine Ltd.

2009: Tax evasion allegation

In 2016, the Income Tax Department (ITD) served a tax reassessment notice alleging tax evasion in the financial year 2009–10.

2010: Partnership with BEXIMCO for Independent Television

In 2010, NDTV partnered with BEXIMCO to launch Independent Television, a 24x7 news channel in Bangladesh.

2010: Publication of Article Alleging Financial Misdemeanours

In 2010, The Sunday Guardian published an article alleging NDTV had colluded with ICICI Bank and indulged in financial misdemeanours.

February 2011: Delhi High Court Restrains Circulation of Article

In February 2011, the Delhi High Court restrained further circulation of an article by The Sunday Guardian which alleged NDTV colluded with ICICI Bank.

March 2011: Growth of NDTV Convergence

Between March 2011 and March 2015, NDTV Convergence experienced significant growth, increasing revenue four-fold and profits ten-fold.

March 2011: Sale of Stake in NDTV Lifestyle to Astro

In March 2011, NDTV Lifestyle was converted into a joint venture through the sale of 49% of the company's stake to Astro, valuing the subsidiary at US$80 million.

July 2012: Lawsuit Against TAM Media Research

On 25 July 2012, NDTV filed a US$1,000 million lawsuit against TAM Media Research in the New York Supreme Court, alleging manipulation of television rating data. According to NDTV, the manipulated data had caused damages of at least US$810 million due to fraud and damages worth at least US$580 million for the network over a period of eight years.

2012: Stock Options for Employees

In 2012, it was noted that the company had a high distribution of its wealth, with stock options worth ₹10 million being available to over 200 employees (15% of the workforce).

2012: Debt Decreased

It was noted that while the debt had decreased considerable between 2012 and 2016, the valuation of the company had deteriorated.

2013: Closure Report Filed by CBI

In 2013, CBI filed a closure report and the Delhi High Court quashed the charges, ruling that there was no evidence of wrongdoing.

2013: End of K. V. L. Narayan Rao's first tenure as CEO

In 2013, K. V. L. Narayan Rao's first tenure as the CEO of NDTV ended.

2013: Launch of Indianroots

In 2013, NDTV launched the e-commerce venture Indianroots through its subsidiary NDTV Ethnic Retail.

2013: NDTV's journalists do not receive Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award

In 2013, the journalists of NDTV did not receive the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award.

March 2015: Growth of NDTV Convergence

Between March 2011 and March 2015, NDTV Convergence experienced significant growth, increasing revenue four-fold and profits ten-fold.

May 2015: Valuation of Indianroots and Launch of E-commerce by Gadgets360

In May 2015, Indianroots was valued at US$85 million. Gadgets360 also entered the e-commerce industry and began selling electronic devices from 2015 onwards.

2015: Launch of BARC Rating System

In 2015, Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) launched its own rating system after NDTV's lawsuit against TAM Media Research.

2015: NDTV Profit Becomes a Hybrid Channel

In 2015, NDTV Profit transformed into a hybrid channel called NDTV Prime, featuring business news during the day and entertainment programs on weekends and after 6pm.

2015: Enforcement Directorate Notice

In 2015, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) served a notice to NDTV on alleged violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act.

2016: Vikram Chandra's tenure as CEO ends

In 2016, Vikram Chandra's tenure as the chief executive officer (CEO) of NDTV came to an end.

2016: Government Ban and Tax Reassessment Notice

In 2016, the government banned NDTV India on allegations that the channel had threatened national security, but the ban was withdrawn the next day. In the same year, the Income Tax Department (ITD) served a tax reassessment notice alleging tax evasion in the financial year 2009–10.

2016: Debt Decreased

It was noted that while the debt had decreased considerable between 2012 and 2016, the valuation of the company had deteriorated.

June 2017: NDTV Profit Pulled Off Air

On 5 June 2017, NDTV Profit was removed from air and transformed into an infotainment channel called NDTV Prime. The business news segment was moved to NDTV 24x7.

2017: Death of K. V. L. Narayan Rao

In 2017, K. V. L. Narayan Rao, who had been re-appointed as the CEO of NDTV, passed away.

2017: NDTV Instituted Turnaround Plan

In 2017, NDTV implemented a turnaround plan, restructuring the company to focus on core news broadcasting and digital teams while reducing ancillary assets and staff. The strategy included layoffs and a shift towards mobile and digital journalism.

2017: CBI Case and Raids

In 2017, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) lodged a case against NDTV, alleging fraud against ICICI Bank, leading to raids on the company's offices and the founders' residences.

2018: Sale of Special Occasion Ltd

In 2018, NDTV Convergence sold Special Occasion Ltd, which operated the wedding arrangements portal BandBaajaa.com, to Wedding Junction Private Ltd.

2018: NDTV's journalists do not receive Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award

In 2018, the journalists of NDTV did not receive the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award.

2019: Suparna Singh Resigns as Interim CEO

In 2019, Suparna Singh, who was appointed as an interim CEO, resigned from her position.

2019: Wealth Distribution Among NDTV Employees

In 2019, approximately 24.4% of NDTV shares were owned through individual shareholdings of 1% or less, highlighting a significant distribution of wealth among its employees.

2019: New CBI Case and SEBI Action

In 2019, the CBI initiated a new case against NDTV, alleging money laundering and FDI violations. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) barred the Roys from securities markets and managerial positions for two years.

January 2020: Acquisition of Fifth Gear Ventures by Mahindra & Mahindra

In January 2020, a subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra acquired Fifth Gear Ventures, which operated the automobile portal CarAndBike.com.

2020: NDTV India Viewership

In 2020, a survey by Prashnam indicated NDTV India had the highest viewership in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan, and the second-highest in Madhya Pradesh.

2020: Supreme Court Quashes ITD Notice

In 2020, the Supreme Court of India overturned the ITD notice against NDTV, citing contradictions in the Revenue Department's statements.

August 2022: Adani Group acquired stake in NDTV

In August 2022, Adani Group acquired a 100% stake in VCPL, gaining indirect control of warrants that could be converted into a 29.18% stake in NDTV. This move significantly increased Adani Group's influence over NDTV.

August 2022: Roy's controlled 61.45% stake in NDTV

Until August 2022, the co-founders, Radhika Roy and Prannoy Roy, held a controlling stake of 61.45% in NDTV, individually and through RRPR Holding Pvt Ltd.

November 2022: Adani Group increased stake in NDTV

In November 2022, the Adani Group launched an open offer to acquire additional stake in NDTV, which resulted in acquiring an 8% stake in the media company. With this acquisition, the group's total shareholding increased to above 37%.

December 2022: Adani Group becomes largest shareholder in NDTV

In December 2022, Prannoy and Radhika Roy sold a substantial portion of their shares to the Adani Group, resulting in the Adani Group becoming the largest shareholder in NDTV with over 64.71% stake.

December 2022: Roy's sold stake to Adani Group

In December 2022, Radhika and Prannoy Roy sold 27.26% of their shareholding to the Adani Group. With this transaction, the Adani Group became the single largest shareholder in NDTV with over 64.71% stake.

2022: NDTV Pulls Out of BARC

In 2022, NDTV withdrew from the ratings agency BARC due to dissatisfaction with the changes in TV rating calculations after a TRP scam exposure.

2022: NDTV Small Shareholding Composition

In 2022, NDTV's small shareholding comprised 23.85% divided among 29,691 individuals and 947 entities, including Drolia Agencies, GRD Securities, Adesh Broking, and Confirm Rebuild.

2022: Adani Group Acquisition

In 2022, the Adani Group acquired a majority stake in NDTV, leading to resignations of prominent members, including Ravish Kumar.

March 2023: Appointment of Independent Directors at NDTV

On March 27, 2023, Adani appointed U. K. Sinha and Dipali Goenka as independent directors for a two-year term, with Sinha also designated as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board.

2023: Stock Options Worth

In 2012, stock options worth ₹19 million or US$220,000 in 2023 were available to over 200 employees.

2023: NDTV mobile app subscription offers

In 2023, NDTV offers news services through its mobile app, providing a subscription for an advertisement-free experience at ₹550 per annum. The NDTV mobile app competes with other news applications in India.

2023: Market Capitalisation Valuation

In December 2004, NDTV market capitalisation was ₹51 billion or US$600 million in 2023.

2024: CBI Investigation Closed

In 2024, following the Adani Group takeover, the CBI concluded its investigation, finding no wrongdoing in the ICICI bank loan sanction to NDTV founders.