History of NDTV in Timeline

NDTV (New Delhi Television Ltd) is an Indian news media company established in 1984 by Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy. It operates in both broadcast and digital news publication, providing news coverage through television channels and online platforms. NDTV has played a significant role in shaping the Indian news landscape and is known for its independent journalism. However, recently Adani group has acquired majority stake of NDTV.

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 (NDTV) as a production house for news segments.

1988: Conversion to a Commercial News Network

In 1988, NDTV transitioned into a commercial news network, becoming India's first independent television news network.

1989: Tiananmen Square Protests

In 1989, NDTV covered several major events, such as the Tiananmen Square protests, live from their respective countries for the weekly international news magazine programme The World This Week.

1989: First Televised Live Election Coverage

In 1989, NDTV produced the first televised live coverage of an Indian general election result, employing hotlines, visual graphics, and debates. The broadcast format NDTV developed contrasted with the official announcements from Doordarshan and was adopted as a template by news broadcasters over the following decades.

1993: CNN Collaboration

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

1995: Launch of 'News Tonight'

In 1995, NDTV's proposal to Doordarshan to move its production to a daily half-hour news bulletin on DD Metro was accepted, leading to the launch of 'News Tonight', India's first daily domestic news broadcast. The company also began producing shows such as 'The News Hour' and 'Good Morning India' for Doordarshan.

1995: The World This Week Aired Till

The World This Week aired till 1995 on Fridays at 10:00 pm. It was described as 'the only India-based programme which looked out at the rest of the world'.

1997: Doordarshan Director General Resigns

In 1997, Doordarshan director general Rathikant Basu left the public broadcaster and joined the Star Network, leading to scrutiny of his activities and a parliamentary committee examining Doordarshan's finances.

January 1998: CBI Files Cases

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

February 1998: Star News Launch

In February 1998, NDTV entered into a five-year contract with Star Network and launched Star News, the first independent 24x7 news channel in India. It was a bilingual channel and aired both Hindi and English language programs.

1998: First 24x7 News Channel Launch

In 1998, NDTV partnered with Star India to launch India's first 24x7 news channel.

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 Appointed CEO of Star India

In 1999, Peter Mukerjea was 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 between the sales team of Star India and NDTV, related to revenue generation and editorial independence.

2002: Star News Blacked Out

In 2002, Star News's coverage of the Gujarat riots resulted in it being blacked out for a day by the Gujarat Government under Narendra Modi.

2002: Contract Negotiations Fall Apart

In 2002, negotiations between NDTV and Star India fell apart due to NDTV's insistence on complete editorial control, which Star was unwilling to grant.

March 2003: NDTV Ends Partnership with Star

NDTV continued producing news segments for Star News until March 31, 2003, after which the partnership ended.

2003: Independent Broadcasting Network Launch

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

2003: NDTV Launches Two Channels

In 2003, NDTV launched two channels: NDTV India, a Hindi language news channel, and NDTV 24x7, an English language news channel.

December 2004: Highest Market Capitalisation

In December 2004, NDTV had the highest market capitalisation, at a valuation of ₹1,433 crore.

2005: Network Expansion

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

2005: Launch of NDTV Profit

In 2005, NDTV launched a business news channel called NDTV Profit, which became a competitor of CNBC TV18.

2006: NDTV Convergence Founded

In 2006, NDTV founded 'NDTV Convergence', the subsidiary overseeing its digital media operations. In June, NDTV partnered with Astro to launch Astro Awani while taking a stake of 20% in the joint venture. Under the terms of agreement, NDTV instituted the infrastructure for the channel and Astro undertook the production.

September 2007: Launch of NDTV Good Times

On September 7, 2007, NDTV launched NDTV Good Times, the first lifestyle channel in India. Also, NDTV Lifestyle entered into an agreement with the United Breweries Group for a branding tie-up between the Kingfisher lager and NDTV Good Times.

2007: K. V. L. Narayan Rao was appointed CEO of NDTV

In 2007, K. V. L. Narayan Rao was appointed as the CEO of NDTV.

2007: Launch of NDTV Arabia

In 2007, NDTV launched NDTV Arabia, an English and Hindi language news channel based in Dubai, targeting Indian expatriates. However, the channel was later shut down in 2009.

2007: Peter Mukerjea

Peter Mukerjea was CEO of Star India between 1999 and 2007.

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

In January 2008, NDTV partnered with NBCUniversal, with NBCUniversal acquiring 26% stake in NDTV. NDTV launched its first general entertainment channel, NDTV Imagine, on 21 January 2008, aided by Sameer Nair, CEO of Applause Entertainment. The operating company, NDTV Imagine Ltd, launched NDTV Imagine Showbiz and NDTV Lumiere.

August 2009: Promoters' debt transferred to Reliance Industries subsidiary

In August 2009, due to financial difficulties, NDTV promoters' debt was transferred to a shell company owned by a subsidiary of Reliance Industries.

October 2009: NBCUniversal exits partnership with NDTV

In October 2009, NBCUniversal decided to end its partnership with NDTV and sold its shares back to NDTV.

2009: VCPL issued warrants convertible to equity shares

In 2009, VCPL issued warrants that could be converted into equity shares. These warrants would later be acquired by the Adani Group in August 2022 and used to gain a stake in NDTV.

2009: Income Tax Department notice alleging tax evasion

In 2016, the Income Tax Department (ITD) served a tax reassessment notice alleging that the company had committed tax evasion in the financial year 2009–10. The Delhi bench of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal upheld the department's findings.

2010: Partnerships with The Hindu and BEXIMCO

In 2010, NDTV partnered with 'The Hindu' newspaper to launch NDTV Hindu, an English language news channel in Chennai. Also in 2010, NDTV partnered with BEXIMCO to launch Independent Television, a 24x7 news channel in Bangladesh.

2010: Publication of Radia tapes and allegations of financial misdemeanours

In 2010, the Radia tapes, leaked recordings of communications by Reliance Industries lobbyist Niira Radia, were published, featuring journalist Barkha Dutt and raising concerns about journalistic integrity. The Sunday Guardian also published an article alleging NDTV colluded with ICICI Bank in financial misdemeanours.

February 2011: Delhi High Court restrains circulation of article against NDTV

In February 2011, the Delhi High Court restrained any further circulation of an article published by The Sunday Guardian, which alleged financial wrongdoings by NDTV, after NDTV sued for ₹25 crore.

March 2011: NDTV Lifestyle converted into joint venture with Astro

In March 2011, NDTV Lifestyle, the subsidiary operating NDTV Good Times, was converted into a joint venture after selling 49% stake to Astro, valuing the subsidiary at US$80 million.

March 2011: Exponential growth of NDTV Convergence begins

Starting in March 2011, NDTV Convergence experienced significant growth in revenue and profits due to synchronising newsgathering with its internet and mobile presence.

July 2012: NDTV lawsuit against TAM Media Research

On 25 July 2012, NDTV filed a lawsuit against TAM Media Research for over US$1,000 million, alleging manipulation of television rating data (TRP).

2012: Wealth Distribution

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

2012: Decrease in Debt

In 2017, it was noted that the debt had decreased considerably between 2012 and 2016, the valuation of the company had deteriorated.

2013: NDTV Convergence helps reduce losses

In 2013, NDTV Convergence was credited with reducing the company's losses by 50% between the financial years 2013–14 and 2014–15 due to its successful digital media strategies.

2013: NDTV journalists did not win Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards

In 2013, NDTV journalists did not win Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards.

2013: Launch of Indianroots

In 2013, NDTV launched Indianroots, an e-commerce venture selling Indian ethnic clothes and jewelry, through its subsidiary NDTV Ethnic Retail.

2013: Vikram Chandra replaces Rao as CEO

In 2013, Vikram Chandra succeeded K. V. L. Narayan Rao as the CEO of NDTV.

2013: Delhi High Court Quashes Charges

In 2013, the Delhi High Court quashed charges filed by the CBI against Prannoy Roy and others, ruling that there was no evidence of wrongdoing.

2014: Growth of Indianroots

In 2014, Indianroots experienced a twelve-fold jump in gross merchandise value, expanding its consumer base across India and the United States.

2014: NDTV Convergence helps reduce losses

In 2014, NDTV Convergence was credited with reducing the company's losses by 50% between the financial years 2013–14 and 2014–15 due to its successful digital media strategies.

March 2015: NDTV Convergence revenue and profits see substantial growth

By March 2015, NDTV Convergence had grown four-fold in revenue and ten-fold in profits, increasing its share of total consolidated income from 4.6% to 18%.

May 2015: Valuation of Indianroots and Gadgets360's e-commerce entry

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 television rating system.

2015: Enforcement Directorate notice for alleged FEMA violation

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

2015: NDTV Profit becomes hybrid channel

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

2016: Vikram Chandra's tenure as CEO ended

In 2016, Vikram Chandra's tenure as the CEO of NDTV concluded.

2016: Government ban on NDTV India and subsequent withdrawal

In 2016, the Indian government banned NDTV India, a Hindi language news channel, on allegations of threatening national security. The ban was withdrawn the following day due to widespread criticism.

2016: Decrease in Debt

In 2017, it was noted that the debt had decreased considerably between 2012 and 2016, the valuation of the company had deteriorated.

June 2017: NDTV Profit becomes NDTV Prime

On 5 June 2017, NDTV Profit was pulled off air and converted into an infotainment channel solely under the designation of NDTV Prime. The business news segment of NDTV Profit was moved to NDTV 24x7.

2017: K. V. L. Narayan Rao re-appointed as CEO

In 2017, K. V. L. Narayan Rao was re-appointed as CEO of NDTV until his death.

2017: NDTV's turnaround plan and restructuring process

In 2017, NDTV implemented a turnaround plan involving restructuring, focusing on news broadcasting and digital teams while reducing ancillary assets and laying off staff. This shift aimed to concentrate on mobile and digital-oriented journalism.

2017: CBI raids NDTV offices and founders' residence

In 2017, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) lodged a case against NDTV, alleging fraud against ICICI Bank, and raided the company's offices and the residence of the founders, the Roys.

2018: Sale of Special Occasion Ltd (BandBaajaa.com)

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

2018: NDTV journalists did not win Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards

In 2018, NDTV journalists did not win Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards.

2019: Suparna Singh resigned as interim CEO

In 2019, Suparna Singh, who served as interim CEO, resigned from her position at NDTV.

2019: Employee stock options led to high wealth distribution

In 2019, around 24.4% of NDTV's shares were owned through individual shareholdings of 1% or less, reflecting the company's stock options available to employees.

2019: CBI lodges new case against NDTV and SEBI bars the Roys

In 2019, the CBI lodged a new case against NDTV, alleging money laundering and FDI violations. In the same year, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) barred the Roys from accessing the securities market and holding managerial positions for two years.

January 2020: Fifth Gear Ventures acquired by Mahindra & Mahindra subsidiary

In January 2020, Fifth Gear Ventures, which operated CarAndBike.com, was acquired by a subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra.

2020: NDTV India's viewership ranking in Hindi-speaking states

In 2020, a survey by Prashnam found that NDTV India had the highest viewership in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan, and the second highest in Madhya Pradesh, with around 23-24% of the population in those states.

2020: Supreme Court quashes ITD notice against NDTV

In 2020, the Supreme Court of India quashed the Income Tax Department (ITD) notice against NDTV, citing contradictions in the Revenue Department's statements.

August 2022: Adani Group acquired stake in VCPL, gaining indirect control of NDTV stake

In August 2022, Adani Group acquired a 100% stake in Vishvapradhan Commercial Private Limited (VCPL), gaining indirect control of a 29.18% stake in NDTV through convertible warrants. This acquisition marked a significant shift in NDTV's ownership structure.

August 2022: Radhika Roy and Prannoy Roy held controlling stake in NDTV

Until August 2022, Radhika Roy and Prannoy Roy, as co-founders, held a controlling stake of 61.45% in NDTV, both individually and jointly through RRPR.

November 2022: Adani Group launched open offer to acquire additional stake in NDTV

In November 2022, the Adani Group launched an open offer to acquire an additional stake in NDTV, resulting in acquisition of 8% additional stake, increasing its total shareholding to above 37% in the media company.

December 2022: Prannoy and Radhika Roy sold shareholding to Adani Group

In December 2022, Prannoy and Radhika Roy sold 27.26 per cent of their shareholding in NDTV to the Adani Group, which already held over 37% stake, making Adani Group the largest shareholder with over 64.71% stake.

2022: NDTV pulls out of BARC ratings agency

In 2022, NDTV withdrew from the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) due to dissatisfaction with changes in TV rating calculations following the TRP scam expose.

2022: Adani Group Acquisition

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

2022: Small shareholding distribution among individuals and entities

In 2022, the small shareholding comprised 23.85% were divided among 29,691 individuals and 947 entities. Four of these entities were Drolia Agencies, GRD Securities, Adesh Broking and Confirm Rebuild, which had interlinked directors and collectively held 7.11%.

March 2023: Adani appointed independent directors for NDTV

On 27 March 2023, Adani appointed former SEBI chairman U. K. Sinha and Welspun India CEO Dipali Goenka as independent directors for a two year term. Sinha was also designated as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board.

2023: Equivalent Stock Options

In 2012, stock options worth ₹10 million (equivalent to ₹19 million or US$220,000 in 2023) were available to over 200 employees.

2023: NDTV mobile app offers subscription for ad-free experience

In 2023, NDTV provides news services through the NDTV mobile app which has subscription offers of ₹550 per annum for an advertisement-free experience. The app competes with other news apps in India.

2023: Equivalent Market Capitalisation

In December 2004, NDTV had the highest market capitalisation, at a valuation of ₹1,433 crore (equivalent to ₹51 billion or US$600 million in 2023).

2024: CBI closes corruption case against NDTV founders

In 2024, after the Adani Group takeover, the CBI investigation found no wrongdoing in the ICICI bank loan sanction and closed its corruption and fraud case against NDTV founders Prannoy and Radhika Roy.