Gaurav Banerjee elected new chairman of BARC India
, the MD and CEO of
Sony Pictures Network India
(SPNI), has been elected as the new chairman of the
Broadcast Audience Research Council
(BARC) India. The official announcement was made on Friday, August 1, 2025, following a board meeting where his appointment was confirmed. He succeeds
Shashi Sinha
, the CEO of
IPG Mediabrands India
, who has held the position since 2022 and will continue to serve on the board.
Sinha, a key figure in BARC's formation, had previously taken over from Punit Goenka of
Zee Entertainment Enterprises
(ZEEL), who served as chairman for three years.
With over two decades of experience, Banerjee's appointment is seen as a strategic move for the
TV ratings
body. Prior to his current role at SPNI, he played a pivotal role in the success of
Disney+ Hotstar
as its head of content. His extensive background also includes a significant tenure at Star India, where he led the Hindi entertainment portfolio and launched several successful regional channels.
A blend of creative and business expertise, Banerjee began his career as a journalist and has been a long-standing member of the
BARC India
technical committee, contributing to its operational and methodological advancements for several years.He holds a master's degree in filmmaking and TV production from Jamia Millia Islamia University and a graduate degree in history from St. Stephen's College.
The other members on the board includes, Gaurav Dwivedi, CEO, Prasar Bharati, Punit Goneka, MD and CEO, ZEEL, Sunil Kataria, director, ISA and BARC India, Kallie Purie, VP, India Today Group, Jayant Mammen Mathew, director of MMTV, Anupriya Acharya, CEO, Publicis Group, South Asia and others.
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