Name: Namrata Tata

Designation: Senior Executive, Ad Sales, NDTV 24X7

Sun Sign: Virgo, 6 September 1978

Education
I completed my schooling from Greenland School in Breach Candy, Mumbai. Later I joined MMK College in Bandra from where I graduated in Commerce

Experience
I started my career with Mata Securities as a Money Market dealer. I was dealing in the debt market facilitating buying and selling of government securities amid the various players in the market such as banks, mutual funds, financial institutions and primary dealers.

Post MATA, I joined Star India Pvt Ltd and was responsible for ad sales on Star News and National Geographic Channel. I am currently working with NDTV Media and am responsible for ad sales on NDTV 24x7.

Job Profile
At NDTV Media, we work as a team. Contrary to being an hard task, work at NDTV is fun. Here I have freedom to grow. It helps me perform and drives me to push myself to excel. It is so unlike the 'MNC culture'. Everyone cuts across the designation boundary, nobody is unapproachable or high strung. We are a bunch of emotional people, who feel strong about what we do.

I am responsible for generating 50 per cent of the revenues for the channel from the western region. I also have to focus on the new business development.

Television as career choice
Media was something that I was fascinated with even as I was graduating from college. When I got an opportunity to work at a TV station, I seized it. The opportunity allowed me to pursue a career in an industry that had always fascinated me.

Exposure to dynamic medium, where rules of the game change everyday was a fascinating opportunity. It hasn't been long, but within a short span of time, I have harnessed my skills. It was here that I realised my aptitude both as a people's person and of inborn seller. I absolutely love interacting with various kinds of people

Current Television scenario
Imagine a market like India with 40 million C&S households and every person glued to the TV sets for more than two hours per day. That's the power of television for you, hence I feel fortunate enough to be a part of the industry.

The industry is going through major changes right now which only makes it more interesting and stimulating. India is probably one of the only countries in the world with highest number of channels. With the implementation of CAS and the markets maturing, I feel there will be a shakeout and only the best two or three players in each genre will survive.

As far as the opinion of the viewer goes, I really don't have the time to watch the television, so can't help you there. But whatever little time I get, I tune in to NDTV even at home. I just remember one thing that Raj Nayak had said, "If you have to sell something you have to do it with passion. You can't sell something that you are yourself not passionate about."

Rights and wrongs about current TV scenario
I feel sad that media is treated as a commodity than a vehicle. It is also unfortunate that almost all planners/buyers, who are responsible for thousands of crores of rupees, work so hard crunching numbers in office till late at night, that they actually do not consume the product on which they spend their money.

My little experience has taught me that there is a life beyond numbers especially in television and you need to spend time watching television to get a sense and feel of the product and the environment the channel provides. I genuinely feel that ad agencies should have TV sets in their offices for planners/buyers.

Five years from now
I live for today and at this moment, I eat, breathe and sleep NDTV. In an industry that is so dynamic, it is extremely difficult to predict what is going to happen in five year. I am a firm believer in a song that I grew up with Que Sera Sera. So perhaps in five year's time, I will expect NDTV to have a bouquet of channels. I should be growing with the organisation.

Hobbies
Painting... the town red!

Idea of enjoyment
"To see the world in a grain of sand, And heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour"

I love life and enjoy every moment of it...