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Ajay Vidyasagar, COO, Sun TV Network quits
Vidyasagar joined the Sun TV Network in June 2009, prior to which he was president, content and new media at STAR India, where he worked for 14 years.
Ajay Vidyasagar has put in his papers at Sun TV Network as chief operating officer.
Sources close to the development state that Tony D'Silva, CEO, Sun Direct, will take over Vidyasagar's mandate at Sun TV Network in addition to his current responsibilities. "D'Silva has been elevated to Sun Group CEO and he has already taken charge. He will be taking care of television, print, radio, cable TV, satellite channel distribution and aviation," they inform.
Highly placed industry sources had informed afaqs! about Vidyasagar's exit on Wednesday, 16 February. However, since then several attempts to contact him had gone futile.
He started his stint with STAR way back in 1996 as part of the Chennai team of the network. He subsequently shifted to Mumbai, where he was part of the company's marketing team. During his tenure with STAR, he was also the commercial director of Channel V, the network's music channel.
In 2000, when STAR acquired Vijay TV, a Tamil general entertainment channel, Vidyasagar moved down south as head of the group's regional business, where he was appointed general manager, regional channels, STAR India.
In 2004, he went back to Mumbai to head the marketing function of STAR India, as executive vice-president. He was later promoted as president, content and new media, his last designation with the group.
It was during his stint that STAR Plus launched the second season of the country's most popular game show, Kaun Banega Crorepati, after a gap of four years. The same year, STAR also came up with its second GEC, STAR One.
Vidyasagar is known to have used several innovative marketing strategies to promote STAR Network's channels. Also, during his tenure with the group, he headed the licensing and merchandising functions of STAR. As head of STAR India's new media function, he was responsible for the overall operations of the network's Internet business.
Vidyasagar has also dabbled in advertising and was associated with O&M, Bengaluru, where he spent about six years. He left the agency as account director.