Jerjees Seja

CEO of ARY Digital Network

Compiled from 1 recorded interview. Every statement below is drawn from the passage cited beside it.

Jerjees Seja is the chief executive officer of ARY Digital Network. He joined ARY at age 28 as executive director and became its chief operating officer at age 31. He was born in Hyderabad, Pakistan, and is a marketing graduate of Greenwich University.

Early life and background

Seja was born in Hyderabad, Pakistan, and did his initial schooling in Quetta. His father worked in the insurance industry. Seja describes himself as a media enthusiast who watched a lot of television and film. He later moved to Karachi and began studying there. [1]

Education

Seja is a marketing graduate of Greenwich University. He says his university was affiliated with Southeastern University in Washington DC at that time. [1]

Career

While studying for his bachelor's degree, Seja interned at a company and was offered a job there two weeks later. He says he was about 20 or 21 when he started working, with no experience, and that he entered the industry in 1997. He says he has been goal-oriented from the day he entered the industry. [1]

At 23, in 2000, Seja attended a media conference in Hong Kong. He set a goal to become chief operating officer of a company like that at age 31. [1]

Seja says he was a media planner, a specialist in media planning, presentations and pitches. At Avenue, he was first exposed to media marketing. [1]

His first production was a drama serial. He says it became a major hit, and that is how he entered the entertainment world. He says the team started packaging products separately because earlier presentations were dull. He says OST was not a concept at that time, and that he planned to make OST videos. He says a video he made for a drama was a big hit. [1]

Seja describes a 6 September concert that featured 30 top singers from Pakistan. He says he was taking a show to 120 countries. In 2005 he decided to venture into a new space, working for a channel. [1]

ARY Digital Network

Seja joined ARY at age 28 as executive director. When he joined, the ARY network was already established. He became chief operating officer of ARY at age 31. [1]

According to Seja, ARY News and ARY Music were launched. He says ARY brought in international channels such as HBO and Nickelodeon. He says ARY is the largest network and has the most channels. He says ARY's YouTube channel is the largest in Pakistan. He also says his company is in the business of content, not technology. [1]

Views on leadership and generations

Seja says becoming too used to a safe zone is how ego sets in. He says whenever youth comes in, it wants to challenge and change things. In his view, a new generation arrives every 10 to 15 years saying it wants to disrupt things. [1]

Views on television in Pakistan

Seja says Pakistan once had four entertainment channels and 40 news channels. He says PEMRA has given licenses to more than 100 channels in Pakistan, and that most channels in Pakistan are news channels. He says apart from the top three or four, news channels are not very profitable. He says some people launched news channels to gain muscle, power and a voice. [1]

Seja says the earlier model was flawed because there was only one revenue stream, advertising. He says it was a shift in the consumer, and that in the end the consumer had to be serviced. He says that if the aim is the maximum number of viewers, they are found at the lowest common denominator. He says Dish TV never came to Pakistan, and that no foreign entity has entered Pakistan's media to date. [1]

Views on digital platforms

Seja says YouTube was banned in Pakistan a few years back, and that the move to YouTube was not a deliberate choice. He says someone investing in content expects a return and is not investing in the company. He says Disney realized that a platform was growing on the strength of its content. He says the competition is over content, not the platform. [1]

Seja says content will ultimately outlast the platform that delivers it. He says the market is now ready, which is why new OTT platforms have entered, and that OTT will not work without investment in content. He says appointment viewing is ending as audiences watch when they choose. He says daily content consumption has risen from 30 minutes to 5 hours. [1]

Seja says people are now watching but are not ready to pay. He says the majority of channels are HD and all shoots are in HD. He says TVs that cost four to five lakh rupees now sell for about 50,000 to one lakh rupees. He says viewing has moved from TV sets to personal screens. [1]

Views on drama and film

Seja says Pakistani drama is the cheapest to produce in the region, and that a Turkish drama episode costs lakhs of dollars. He says Pakistani dramas have become cool again and that Gen Z now watches Pakistani dramas. [1]

Seja says a long serial in Pakistan typically runs 80 to 100 episodes, and a short serial typically runs 26 to 40 episodes. He says audiences in Pakistan generally prefer short stories. He says dramas can make losses when viewership is low, because ad revenue falls with it. He says a drama's return comes only from linear channel ad sales or YouTube ad sales. [1]

Seja describes film as a passion project at present. He says a film business model cannot rest on 100 screens. [1]

Outlook

Seja says he cannot yet imagine Pakistan in 2050. He says the entire dynamics of the industry in Pakistan may change within the next five years. He says he is scared about how AI will affect his industry. [1]

Seja describes Pakistan as a powerhouse with a lot of talent. He says that when options were few, the same viewing reached everyone. He says good content still gets through even with more choice. [1]

Timeline

1997
Entered the industry[1]
2000
Attended a media conference in Hong Kong[1]
2005
Decided to venture into working for a channel[1]

Appearances

DateTitleWhere
2025-10-31 Pakistan's drama audience has the habit. Now it has to learn to pay. Thought Behind Things

Frequently asked questions

Who is Jerjees Seja?

Jerjees Seja is the chief executive officer of ARY Digital Network. He joined ARY at age 28 as executive director and became chief operating officer at age 31.[1]

What does Jerjees Seja do?

Jerjees Seja is the chief executive officer of ARY Digital Network. He says his company is in the business of content, not technology.[1]

Where did Jerjees Seja study?

Jerjees Seja is a marketing graduate of Greenwich University. He says his university was affiliated with Southeastern University in Washington DC at that time. He moved to Karachi and began studying there.[1]

Where is Jerjees Seja from?

Jerjees Seja was born in Hyderabad, Pakistan. He did his initial schooling in Quetta before moving to Karachi, where he began studying.[1]

When did Jerjees Seja join ARY?

Jerjees Seja joined ARY at age 28 as executive director. At that point the ARY network was already established. He became chief operating officer of ARY at age 31.[1]

When did Jerjees Seja enter the industry?

Jerjees Seja says he entered the industry in 1997. He says he was about 20 or 21 when he started working, with no experience.[1]

What does Jerjees Seja say about Pakistani drama?

Jerjees Seja says Pakistani drama is the cheapest to produce in the region, while a Turkish drama episode costs lakhs of dollars. He also says Pakistani dramas have become cool again and that Gen Z now watches them.[1]

References

  1. Pakistan's drama audience has the habit. Now it has to learn to pay. . Thought Behind Things , 2025-10-31.
Show the source passages (76 statements)
  1. Jerjees Seja is CEO of ARY Digital Network. joined by Jerjees Seja, CEO of ARY Digital Network, one of
  2. He is a marketing graduate of Greenwich University. I was a marketing grad. I did my from Greenwich University that was affiliated with Southeastern University
  3. He says his university was affiliated with Southeastern University in Washington DC at that time. that was affiliated with Southeastern University, Washington DC at that time
  4. He was born in Hyderabad, Pakistan. I was born in Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Pakistan and I did my initial schooling in Quetta
  5. He did his initial schooling in Quetta. I did my initial schooling in Quetta
  6. His father worked in the insurance industry. My father was posted there, he was in insurance industry so he was there for good 25, 30 years
  7. He moved to Karachi and began studying there. so I moved on to Karachi and I started studying here
  8. He describes himself as a media enthusiast who watched a lot of television and film. I was always a media freak so mujhe maza aata tha TV dekhne ka, I used to watch everything, every movie
  9. While studying for his bachelor's degree, he interned at a company and was offered a job there two weeks later. while I was doing my bachelors, I got an opportunity to intern at Interflow and two weeks down the road I was offered a job there
  10. He says he was a media planner, a specialist in media planning, presentations and pitches. usse pehle I was a media planner, I was a specialist in media planning, presentations, giving pitches and all that
  11. At Avenue he was first exposed to media marketing. So in Avenue I got exposed to media marketing to start with
  12. His first production was a drama serial. we then produced our first production and that was my basic first production ever that I did and it was a drama serial called Mehndi
  13. He says his first drama serial became a major hit, and that is how he entered the entertainment world. Mehndi drama became a super duper hit and that's how I entered into the entertainment world
  14. He says the team started packaging products separately because earlier presentations were dull. then we started packaging these products separately because pehle hota tha ke jo presentation hoti thi woh bahut dull hoti thi
  15. He says OST was not a concept at that time, and that he planned to make OST videos. Us time pe OST ka concept nahi tha, OST videos banaunga
  16. He says a video he made for a drama was a big hit. Maine ek drama tha Kabhi Kabhi Pyar mein Fakhr ka video banaya, woh bahut hit hua
  17. In 2005 he decided to venture into a new space, working for a channel. in 2005 I decided to venture out into new space and that was working for a channel
  18. He says he was about 20 or 21 when he started working, with no experience. I was like 20-21 years old jab maine start kiya kaam karna and us time pe I was very energetic, youthful, experience zero tha
  19. He says he entered the industry in 1997. Because I remember in 2000, sorry 1997 when I entered the industry
  20. He joined ARY at age 28 as executive director. I was 28 when I joined ARY. And And what was the role? I was executive director at that time
  21. When he joined ARY, the ARY network was already established. Acha um when I joined ARY, ARY network ban chuka tha
  22. He says ARY News and ARY Music were launched. ARY News was launched, ARY Music was launched, then after ARY Music it was QTV
  23. He says ARY brought in international channels such as HBO and Nickelodeon. ARY brought in international channels like HBO, Nickelodeon, Nick aaya
  24. He says ARY is the largest network and has the most channels. ARY was the only one jo sabse bada network, isiliye hum ARY ko kehte hain ke sabse zyada channel hamare paas hain
  25. He says ARY's YouTube channel is the largest in Pakistan. Pakistan ka sabse bada YouTube channel ARY ka hai
  26. He describes a 6 September concert that featured 30 top singers from Pakistan. it was a 6th September concert that we were doing with which had 30 top singers from Pakistan
  27. He says he was taking a show to 120 countries. yaar main 120 countries mein yeh show leke ja raha hoon
  28. He says he has been goal-oriented from the day he entered the industry. from day one when I entered, I was very goal oriented
  29. At 23, in 2000, he attended a media conference in Hong Kong. So I went for a conference in 2000 when I was 23. I went to attend a media conference in Hong Kong
  30. He set a goal to become chief operating officer of a company like that at age 31. And I said 31, I want to be chief operating officer for a company like this when I am 31
  31. He became chief operating officer of ARY at age 31. So when I was 31, I was chief operating officer for ARY
  32. He says becoming too used to a safe zone is how ego sets in. And when you get too used to your safe zone, then ego comes in
  33. He says whenever youth comes in, it wants to challenge and change things. Whenever youth comes in, they want to challenge. They want to come and change things
  34. He says a new generation arrives every 10 to 15 years saying it wants to disrupt things. har 10-15 saal baad ek nayi generation aati hai jo kehti hai ab maine isko disrupt karna hai
  35. He says Pakistan once had four entertainment channels and 40 news channels. Pakistan mein total chaar entertainment channels the aur 40 news channels the
  36. He says PEMRA has given licenses to more than 100 channels in Pakistan. we have around 100 plus channels that the licenses that have been given by PEMRA to different channel operators
  37. He says most channels in Pakistan are news channels. Majority of the channels in Pakistan are news channels
  38. He says apart from the top three or four, news channels are not very profitable. barring the top three, four channels, news channel business is not that profitable
  39. He says some people launched news channels to gain muscle, power and a voice. lekin thoda sa humein muscle chahiye, power chahiye. To humne kaha ke ji ek news channel khol lete hain so that we get our voice
  40. He says the earlier model was flawed because there was only one revenue stream, advertising. jo peeche model tha woh flawed tha kyunki hamare paas sirf ek uh revenue stream thi aur woh thi ads advertising model
  41. He says it was a shift in the consumer, and that in the end the consumer had to be serviced. it was actually a a shift in the consumer and at the end of the day you had to service that consumer
  42. He says that if the aim is the maximum number of viewers, they are found at the lowest common denominator. agar aapko maximum number chahiye, maximum number of heads chahiye to maximum number of heads jo hai na woh aapke lowest common denominator mein milenge
  43. He says Dish TV never came to Pakistan. Pakistan mein Dish TV kabhi nahi aaya
  44. He says no foreign entity has entered Pakistan's media to date. kahin Pakistan mein aaj tak koi foreign entity media mein enter nahi hui hai
  45. He says YouTube was banned in Pakistan a few years back. YouTube was banned in Pakistan few years back
  46. He says the move to YouTube was not a deliberate choice. nothing has been done deliberately ki humne choose kiya ki yaar hum YouTube ke upar jayenge
  47. He says his company is in the business of content, not technology. Hum technology ke business mein nahi hain. We are in the business of content
  48. He says someone investing in content expects a return and is not investing in the company. Someone who is investing in the content is asking for return. He is not investing in your company
  49. He says Disney realized that a platform was growing on the strength of its content. Disney realized ke hamare content se ek platform bada ho raha hai
  50. He says the competition is over content, not the platform. Eventually, the war is of the content, the war is not of the platform
  51. He says content will ultimately outlast the platform that delivers it. content is content. And eventually, content will stay emperor
  52. He says the market is now ready, which is why new OTT platforms have entered. Now, the market is ready. That's why these new OTT platforms managed to come in
  53. He says OTT will not work without investment in content. content pe jab tak investment nahi hogi, toh I think ke yeh nahi work out karega
  54. He says appointment viewing is ending as audiences watch when they choose. Appointment viewing khatam ho rahi hai. Aap keh rahe hain main apne disposal pe dekhunga
  55. He says daily content consumption has risen from 30 minutes to 5 hours. Pehle their consumption was 30 minutes a day of content, now the content is 5 hours a day that you're consuming
  56. He says people are now watching but are not ready to pay. People are now watching it. They are not ready to pay
  57. He says Pakistani drama is the cheapest to produce in the region. Aaj bhi Pakistan ka jo drama hai hamare region ka sabse sasta drama banta hai
  58. He says a Turkish drama episode costs lakhs of dollars. Turkish drama ek drama laakhon dollars ka banta hai ek episode
  59. He says the majority of channels are HD and all shoots are in HD. Aaj hamare majority of the channels are HD. All our shoots are in HD
  60. He says TVs that cost four to five lakh rupees now sell for about 50,000 to one lakh rupees. Toh pehle woh jo TV 4 lakh, 5 lakh ka milta tha woh aapko 50,000 se lakh rupaye ke andar mil jata hai
  61. He says viewing has moved from TV sets to personal screens. TV se hum nikal ke hum screens ke upar aa gaye hain
  62. He says Pakistani dramas have become cool again. Pakistani ke jo drame hain now they have started they've become cool again
  63. He says Gen Z now watches Pakistani dramas. So ab Gen Z bhi dekh rahi hai hamare drame
  64. He says a long serial in Pakistan typically runs 80 to 100 episodes. So long serial hamare mulk mein 80 to 100 episodes ki hoti hai on an average
  65. He says a short serial typically runs 26 to 40 episodes. aur jo long short serial hai wo around 26 episodes to 40 episodes hota hai
  66. He says audiences in Pakistan generally prefer short stories. But hamare yahan generally people prefer short stories
  67. He says dramas can make losses when viewership is low, because ad revenue falls with it. Drame pe losses definitely hote hain kyunki jab aapka drama nahi chalta to uski har taraf se jab viewership down hoti hai to usme ad bhi kam aati hai
  68. He says a drama's return comes only from linear channel ad sales or YouTube ad sales. Uh sara return jo aata hai wo either through linear channel ke upar ad sales se aayega ya aapka YouTube ke upar ad sales se aayega. There is no other way
  69. He describes film as a passion project at present. Achcha film to is waqt wo hai ke it's a passion project
  70. He says a film business model cannot rest on 100 screens. Kyunke sirf 100 screens ke upar aapne business model base karna hai. Wo ban hi nahi sakta
  71. He says he cannot yet imagine Pakistan in 2050. I can't imagine 2050 right now
  72. He says the entire dynamics of the industry in Pakistan may change within the next five years. So maybe in next five years the entire dynamics will change of the our industry in Pakistan
  73. He says he is scared about how AI will affect his industry. yes I am scared with AI what's happening how the our industry will be affected
  74. He describes Pakistan as a powerhouse with a lot of talent. Looking at Pakistan I think we are a powerhouse hamare paas bahut talent hai
  75. He says that when options were few, the same viewing reached everyone. us time pe because options kam thi to sab ke paas woh viewing aa jaati thi
  76. He says good content still gets through even with more choice. I believe no matter jitni is waqt hamare paas choices aa gayi hain, a good content always gets through