How a Media Conglomerate Streamlined Multi-Channel Operations, Content Workflow & Financials with ERP in 2025

Apagen Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (Odoo)

         

Boosting Productivity & Profitability in a Modern Media Group Using ERP Integration

Client & Project Overview

About the Media Group: A Multi-Platform Content Powerhouse

Our client is one of South Asia’s fastest-growing media conglomerates, operating across television broadcasting, digital publishing, print magazines, radio stations, and a booming OTT platform. With a footprint in over 12 regional languages and millions of daily content consumers, their operations were scaling rapidly — but their backend systems weren’t keeping pace.

The group’s leadership had ambitious goals for 2025: expand regional presence, double OTT content production, and increase digital ad revenues by 50%. However, the technology infrastructure was fragmented, legacy-heavy, and not conducive to data-driven or collaborative work environments.

Before ERP implementation, departments operated in silos. Production, sales, finance, and editorial lacked a unified system, leading to inefficiencies in content scheduling, revenue management, and executive reporting. There was no single source of truth for content rights, budgets, or client history.

A digital transformation initiative was launched with a focus on implementing an ERP system tailored for the unique demands of a modern media business — blending creative processes with commercial efficiency.

To understand the broader landscape of how ERP systems are transforming media operations, explore ERP for the media industry.

Challenges & Objectives

Decentralized operations, disconnected tools & delayed decisions: The need for change

Key operational and strategic challenges included:

  • Fragmented editorial workflows: Independent calendars for print, radio, TV, and digital platforms led to duplicate assignments, missed deadlines, and underutilized talent. Editors lacked visibility into multi-platform planning, resulting in inconsistent messaging and content gaps.
  • Manual ad billing and reconciliation: Sales teams booked ads across platforms, but invoices were prepared manually, resulting in inaccuracies and delays. Finance struggled to consolidate revenue reports across departments and formats.
  • No unified customer data: Subscription and advertising customer records were stored in different systems, making customer service and marketing campaigns inefficient and impersonal.
  • Lack of performance analytics: Departmental KPIs were measured manually, with delays in management reports affecting strategic decision-making. There was no real-time view of campaign effectiveness or platform-specific performance.
  • Compliance complexity: Multiple tax regimes across business units, especially in print and digital, created accounting challenges. Manual tracking of tax liabilities and journal entries slowed down audits and increased the risk of penalties.

Business Objectives:

  • Centralize planning, operations, and financials under one ERP platform
  • Streamline ad sales and subscription processes with automation
  • Integrate customer data for personalized engagement and retention
  • Enable real-time analytics for faster, better decision-making
  • Achieve full audit compliance with digitized workflows
  • Reduce operational redundancies, eliminate duplicate effort, and promote cross-functional transparency

Scope of Work

What the ERP needed to solve across editorial, finance, and distribution?

The ERP implementation covered core business areas with an end-to-end transformation goal:

  • Editorial & Production:
  • Ad Sales & Revenue Management:
  • Subscription Management:
  • Finance & Accounting:
  • Inventory & Asset Tracking:

The phased rollout involved over 350 users across 14 business units and was planned over 14 months, with quarterly reviews and course corrections.

Solution Design & Implementation

Thorough Odoo ERP system we helped them built the backbone for content, finance & operations

Our Odoo ERP consulting team designed a modular, integrated solution with the following features:

  • Editorial Planning Module:
  • Sales & Invoicing Automation:
  • Integrated CRM:
  • Finance Suite:
  • Dashboards:

Legacy tools (such as the CMS, ad servers, and OTT DRM) were integrated using secure API connectors. Emphasis was placed on scalability, data governance, and user access control.

Execution Challenges

From resistance to readiness: Overcoming media-specific ERP roadblocks

Several challenges emerged during execution:

  • Editorial Team Pushback:
  • Skill Gaps:
  • Change Fatigue:
  • Data Cleanup:
  • Integration Complexity:

Results & Impact

An Overview - > 95% Workflow Accuracy, 3x Faster Reporting & 40% Cost Savings in 12 Months

The ERP implementation had tangible results within 6–12 months:

  • Editorial Operations:
  • Advertising Revenue:
  • Finance & Reporting:
  • Customer Satisfaction:
  • Operational Efficiency:

Client Feedback & Innovations

“We always believed media runs on creativity, but we underestimated how much faster we could move with systems that support creative operations. This ERP has changed the game for us.” – Chief Operating Officer

“Our ad revenues were growing, but we had no control over what was happening behind the scenes. Now we have real-time dashboards and we can see every rupee earned, scheduled, or pending.” – Finance Controller

Innovations Introduced:

  • Editorial heatmaps to identify bottlenecks in story approvals
  • Automated alerts for rights expiry of syndicated video content
  • Cross-platform ad bundling suggestions powered by ERP analytics
  • QR-based subscription verification for print delivery tracking
  • Dashboards for editorial teams to boost performance engagement

Key Learnings & Project Team

Media ERP isn’t plug-and-play: Lessons that can guide future projects

Key Learnings:

  • Customization over configuration: Off-the-shelf ERP is insufficient for media workflows that mix creative, technical, and commercial processes.
  • Role ownership is vital: Having a change agent from every function accelerated user acceptance.
  • KPIs must evolve: ERP adoption reshapes performance metrics — teams need training to align with data-driven goals.
  • Go-live doesn’t mean done: A six-month post-go-live support plan ensured long-term ROI.
  • User experience matters: ERP adoption hinges on interface design, relevance of dashboards, and feedback loops.

Project Team Structure:

  • Client-side Team:
  • Our Team:

Conclusion

This case study demonstrates that media groups can achieve operational excellence without compromising creativity. A properly implemented ERP system acts as the digital backbone for content creation, monetization, and customer engagement.