Noida: NDTV has announced a major expansion of its Connected TV (CTV) strategy with the appointment of Akhil Bhalla as Product Head – Connected TV and Sanjeev Kumar Choudhary as Head of Connected TV Revenue, signalling a decisive push into one of the fastest-growing segments of the global media and advertising ecosystem.
The move comes as Connected TV rapidly shifts from being a niche OTT extension to a mainstream large-screen platform for premium video — including news. CTV combines the reach and immersion of television with the data, targeting and measurability of digital, making it increasingly attractive to both audiences and advertisers.
India’s CTV moment
India’s Connected TV adoption has reached a scale that few would have predicted even a few years ago. Industry estimates suggest that more than 129 million Indians now stream digital video on Connected TV devices every month, while CTV penetration is approaching 60 million households, placing it firmly in mass-media territory.
Advertising spend is following that shift. India’s CTV ad market is projected to reach USD 760 million in 2025 and close to USD 1 billion in 2026, as brands move budgets towards premium, brand-safe, living-room environments. Globally, Connected TV advertising revenues are expected to grow to USD 51 billion by 2029, underscoring CTV’s central role in the future of video.
For news publishers, this represents a structural change in how journalism can be distributed, consumed and monetised. With high-attention viewing, stronger verification, and event-driven consumption becoming core to CTV platforms, large-screen streaming is emerging as a natural home for trusted news brands.
Building NDTV’s Connected TV ecosystem
NDTV’s twin appointments are designed to create a dedicated Connected TV vertical spanning product, editorial experience, platform distribution and monetisation.
As Product Head – Connected TV, Akhil Bhalla will lead the redesign of NDTV’s CTV product and user experience, shaping how audiences discover and engage with NDTV’s journalism on big-screen platforms. Bhalla joins from JioHotstar (formerly Disney+ Hotstar), where he played a key role in building Connected TV-led news offerings, including integrating more than 45 national and regional news channels and designing engagement systems for real-time, breaking-news viewing. He is widely regarded as one of the early operational architects of CTV-based news in India.
“Connected TV is redefining how audiences experience news,” Bhalla said. “NDTV’s legacy of trust and editorial credibility gives us a powerful foundation to build a product designed for the future — not just adapted from another screen.”
On the commercial side, Sanjeev Kumar Choudhary takes charge as Head of Connected TV Revenue, responsible for expanding NDTV’s footprint across CTV platforms and building monetisation at scale. He joins from Republic Media Network and brings experience across CTV partnerships and digital revenue streams, having worked with platforms such as Samsung TV Plus, LG, Jio, Yupp, Planetcast and Google Showcase.
“Connected TV in India is at a clear inflection point,” Choudhary said. “Scale is already visible, consumption is deepening, and advertiser interest is accelerating. NDTV’s trust advantage gives it a strong edge in building a premium, large-scale CTV business.”
A strategic bet on the future of news
NDTV leadership sees Connected TV not merely as another distribution channel but as a long-term growth engine.
“Connected TV represents a fundamental shift in how news is consumed and valued,” said Rahul Kanwal, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, NDTV. “It brings together the authority of television and the precision of digital in a high-trust environment. Our push into CTV aligns NDTV’s editorial strengths with changing audience behaviour and new revenue possibilities.”
With Connected TV now consolidating its place as a mainstream screen in Indian households — and global advertisers prioritising premium streaming environments — NDTV is positioning itself to be one of the first major news networks to build a full-scale, purpose-designed Connected TV business in India.
As the lines between television and digital continue to blur, NDTV’s expanded leadership team will now be tasked with turning CTV into a core pillar of the network’s long-term relevance, reach and revenue.
