Pradeep Hejmadi : Director - Research, Turner International India

Name: Pradeep Hejmadi

Designation: Director - Research, Turner International India

Sun Sign: Libra

Educational Experience
Felt a lot shorter than it was. Enjoyed watching figures through college life - I mean studying mathematics and statistics. Graduated with a major in physics not too long ago!

Professional Experience
Made a foray into the media sector as an advertising sales executive in Times FM - the FM radio venture of the Times of India group way back in 1994, at the inception of private enterprise in FM broadcast.

Moved to media planning and buying, sensing the winds of change that were to sweep across the then existing television landscape - the cable & satellite era. As part of Hindustan Thompson Associates' national media buying unit, it was a great learning experience on brands like Kelloggs, Godrej & Boyce, De Beers amongst others.

Sensing the growing consumer interest in the area of specialised content channels, moved over to the other side of the table yet again - this time as a research manager in Discovery Communications India, in the year 1997.

Job Profile
Currently, my scope of responsibilities covers four media properties under the Turner umbrella - CNN, CNN.com, Cartoon Network & Cartoonnetworkindia.com.

As the head of research for Turner, I seesaw from one demographic to the other. On the one hand, one has to get into the wonderful, dreamy minds of kids, and then, on the other hand one has to probe the best-informed, affluent CNN audience.

What adds that extra zing to my work is the amazing reliance of Turner on consumer insights across the company, be it advertising sales, consumer marketing, programming or distribution and network development.

Research and media planning as career choice
One thing, for sure, I did not make this choice as a function of my personal involvement with the medium. I was an extremely outdoor type of a guy; by nature extremely selective when it came to viewing television. My choice was more rational and was based on the potential the medium had.

I also believe that researching media habits is one of the most challenging and not much of a chartered space, providing great opportunity. Thus, media research! (Would you have expected any other response from a researcher?)

Current Television scenario
Television has emerged as one of the strongest means of entertainment over the last five years. This has seen the simultaneous explosion of the TV landscape with mass entertainment channels entering areas of niche interest and vice versa.

The net result - an increasingly demanding and constantly evolving consumer. Some might argue that television viewers are 'content with familiarity,' while others would say that 'innovation pays dividends.' The inherent dichotomy presents for some an irresistible challenge and for some a painful reality. All in all, from my perspective, THE place to be!

Right and wrong about current Television scenario
The entire industry seems to be divided on what makes a TV channel tick - art or science. I think it's this divide that's wrong.

Clearly, to the well-informed eye, it's the multiplicative effect of science over art (and vice versa) and not one without the other that ticks. The polarisation on the two ends dampens the growth rate and we all end up playing a 'zero sum game.'

Five years from now
Given what seems to be on the platter for our industry (the beginning of a new era), the market will present even greater opportunities. I intend staying ahead of this curve, all the way!

Hobbies
Sports, reading and spending quality time with my family.

Idea of enjoyment
A chilled beer after a really tough game of cricket!