How NDTV Profit is capturing India’s new-age investors

Earlier this month, NDTV Profit unveiled a refreshed visual identity and a revamped programming lineup—part of a broader repositioning of its business news offering. The overhaul signals a sharper editorial focus on market interpretation, analytical depth, and real-time context.

Rolled out from January 5, the new look and lineup are designed around how investors, professionals, and business leaders actually consume market information through the day.

The programming now aligns with the trading cycle's rhythm. For example, India Market Open kicks off at 8 am with market experts setting the tone for the day. By 11:30 am, Know Your Company dives deep into businesses and balance sheets. 

“We believe the market today deserves more than just reporting events as they happen,” says Tamanna Inamdar, Managing Editor, NDTV. “Viewers want information with context, clarity, and insight. That’s what NDTV Profit specialises in.”

The refresh reflects a conscious push towards urgency and sharper analytics, backed by deeper data-led insights and evolving AI-assisted tools. The aim is straightforward: to help investors make smarter, more informed decisions in an increasingly complex environment.

NDTV Profit was relaunched in 2023 after a six-year hiatus, returning to a business news landscape far more crowded than when it first operated between 2005 and 2017.

Beyond established players such as CNBC-TV18 and ET Now, the channel now competes with a flood of finfluencers and social media-led market commentary. Yet, Inamdar says the channel identified a clear gap.

“We’re not competing for the same pie; we’re addressing an unmet need. Despite the explosion of content, genuinely useful business information is surprisingly rare. That’s the gap we stepped into,” she says.

“A large cohort of real investors, especially those who entered equities post-COVID, were simply not being served.” 

The pandemic reshaped India’s investor base. Prolonged lockdowns, job disruptions, and the rise of mobile trading platforms like Zerodha and Groww led to a surge in demat accounts and first-time equity participation.

By the time NDTV Profit relaunched, the average investor age had dropped to around 32, with many as young as 18 trading directly from their phones.

Access, however, did not always come with understanding. “These investors often rely on tips from friends, WhatsApp forwards, and short-form social content without context or clarity,” Inamdar says.

For years, she argues, business news largely spoke to the corner office. “It didn’t speak to the everyday individual who wants to build wealth beyond a salary or gig income. What they really want to know is simple: which investment makes sense, what’s happening inside the company they’re trading, and what decision is right for them. We give them facts and context. They make the choice.”

While the primary audience is investors, CXOs are listening too. “This is the cohort every advertiser and business wants to reach today. When we speak clearly to them, everyone else tunes in as well,” she adds.

A key pillar of this strategy is simplicity. NDTV Profit has deliberately stripped away jargon, avoided pontification, and moved away from the terminal-heavy, information-dense presentation that can overwhelm viewers.

“Our philosophy is clarity over complexity, insight without lecturing,” says Inamdar. That approach, she says, has helped the channel emerge as a comfortable and credible choice for viewers and has translated into stronger audience affinity and rankings.

The shift has also been reflected in advertising momentum. According to Mandeep Singh, revenue head – network TV, NDTV, the channel entered a space long dominated by a near-monopoly, where pricing and advertiser engagement had become rigid.

“When NDTV Profit entered with strong early traction, a high-quality product, and a refreshed look and feel, the market responded quickly,” Singh says.

“In our first year, we captured nearly 75–80% of the advertiser base of the number-two player. That kind of conversion doesn’t happen by chance. It reflects the market’s belief in what NDTV Profit stands for.”

Advertisers, he says, were looking for flexibility and collaboration. NDTV Profit's legacy also worked in its favour. Strong brand recall, editorial integrity, and trust lowered barriers for advertisers transitioning to the platform.

Financially, the channel has seen rapid growth since its relaunch. “In the first three years, we’ve doubled our top line every year. Our target for next year is to double again,” Singh says.

Beyond traditional advertising, NDTV Profit has built differentiated offerings across branded content, events, and franchise IPs. Around 70% of revenues come from conventional advertising, with the remaining 30% driven by IP-led brand solutions such as conclaves, partnerships, and branded content.

Franchises like NDTV IGNITE, Davos, Realtor Series, and Manufacturing Marvels have helped the channel build premium, high-impact brand associations.

“We’ve focused on meaningful collaborations rather than commoditised offerings. This franchise-led approach has driven premium revenue,” Singh says.

The platform is also built for a fragmented consumption reality. From Profit.com to YouTube, connected TV, and linear broadcast, content is designed to travel seamlessly across formats.

“Some people want quick updates on the move; others want depth,” Singh says. “Our dot-com anchors intent-led consumption, while other platforms serve different moments of need. The goal is to meet the audience where they are, in the format they want.”

That digital-first mindset is embedded in the organization’s DNA, Inamdar says. With an average newsroom age of under 27, systems are designed for simultaneous publishing across TV, web, and social, rather than adapting content sequentially from one platform to another.

While digital is central to content strategy, television continues to command a significant share of advertising revenue, particularly across categories like mutual funds, banking, insurance, fintech, auto, and e-commerce. These sectors continue to plan spends across both TV and digital, reflecting high audience overlap.

Singh maintains a measured perspective on the impact of influencers. Influencer-led advertising, he says, still accounts for a small fraction of total brand budgets, and brands are becoming increasingly cautious around credibility and brand safety.

“Business news remains a high-perception genre,” Singh says. “Decision-makers themselves are heavy consumers of business news. For listed companies or those preparing to list, communication directly impacts credibility and valuation. That’s why advertiser dependence on the genre remains strong.”