Gaurav Banerjee, Managing Director and CEO of Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI), has been named the new Chairman of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India. Banerjee steps into the role following the impactful tenure of outgoing Chairman Shashi Sinha, who served since March 2022 and was credited with steering BARC through a transformative phase focused on digital integration and deeper data insights.
With over 20 years of experience across television and digital platforms, Banerjee brings a rare blend of creative storytelling and sharp business strategy to the position. At SPNI, he oversees the company’s strategic vision and execution, while also driving innovation across its portfolio. His leadership is widely acknowledged for aligning creative content with business outcomes, making him an apt choice to guide BARC through the evolving media landscape.
Before joining SPNI, Banerjee led content strategy at Disney+ Hotstar, where he was instrumental in scaling the platform’s subscriber base and viewership through a robust pipeline of Hindi and regional originals. His previous leadership at Star India helped cement the dominance of channels like Star Plus and Star Gold, while launching successful regional ventures such as Star Jalsha and Star Pravah.
Banerjee also serves on the boards of MSM-Worldwide Factual Media Pvt. Ltd. and Bangla Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. (BEPL), reflecting his active engagement with India’s diverse entertainment ecosystem.
His appointment comes at a crucial time for BARC, as the organization continues to refine its audience measurement systems in an increasingly digital-first world. With Banerjee at the helm, industry insiders are optimistic about a renewed focus on innovation, inclusivity in audience representation, and strengthened trust in media metrics.
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