GECs
Soon: Care World TV online
MUMBAI: Post Diwali, six-year-old health and fitness television channel – Care World TV – is expected to go LIVE on its website http://www.careworldtv.com. In so doing, it will become the first global health care TV channel to be simultaneously available online and offline.
Currently in the testing phase of simulcasting its television content on its website, Care World TV is looking to expand audience reach with this initiative. Care World TV managing director Ajit Gupta exults: “With this initiative, we become the first global health care television channel to be simultaneously available both online and offline.”
The channel has already started getting response from countries like Spain, according to ABS 7 Star CMD Atul Saraf, who says: “Even though we haven’t made it LIVE yet, and are still in the testing phase, anyone who comes to our website for information on health or contact details of doctors etc. can see the simulcast of the channel. We are already getting good response from people based in different parts of the world.”
With the simulcast, Care World TV hopes to reach out to a travelling audience as well as the many Indians settled across the globe.
Simulcast apart, the channel is also developing an app to further connect with its audiences to be launched by November. “The app will be ready by month-end. We will then test the app and so, it should be available for free download by November. It will be available on Android and iOS first. We will further expand to other operating systems like Windows,” says Saraf.
According to Gupta: “The app will have an eye-catching interface, with easy functionality, and will cater to the premium market segment.”
Available for free download, the app can be used even if one has slow internet connectivity. “We have put the content on a very low bit rate and so, a person can watch it even with a 256 or 512 mbps internet connection speed,” informs Saraf.
So is the channel looking at monetising its website content? “Well! We haven’t thought of it currently, but we may in future, we are not ruling out the opportunity,” replies Saraf.
TAM weekly TV ratings reveal that Care World TV reaches four to five million viewers every week. “The channel has bridged the gap between functionaries and beneficiaries. With a 24×7 presence on television and now also on the web, the channel provides various formats of programming that include awareness segments, talking heads, panel discussions, in-depth reports, presentations, infomercials, audio visuals, documentaries, bulletins, campaigns etc, in both fiction and non-fiction formats,” says Gupta.
While the channel has taken a bold step in an internet-driven world, only time will tell if the move will help expand its viewer base or eat into its existing television viewership?
GECs
Zee tops fiction charts across six languages with strong show lineup
Broadcaster secures nearly half of top 10 spots as fiction strategy pays off
MUMBAI: Fiction is proving to be Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd’s winning script. The broadcaster has emerged as the dominant force in television fiction, occupying an average of five spots in the top 10 charts across six major language markets.
Across Hindi (Pay), Marathi, Bangla, Odia, Kannada and Telugu general entertainment channels, the company commands a 48 per cent share of the top 10 fiction rankings, according to BARC data for weeks four to seven of 2026 among urban audiences aged 15 and above.
The strong showing reflects the company’s renewed focus on storytelling driven by cultural insight and local relevance. With family viewing still centred around prime time, Zee continues to attract more than 20 per cent viewership share across genres in this high engagement window, outperforming competitors.
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, chief content officer Raghavendra Hunsur, said the results underline the effectiveness of the company’s sharply defined multilingual content strategy.
“The achievement is a firm testament to our content strategy across languages, which is clearly resonating with viewers,” Hunsur said. “Fiction shows remain the heart of entertainment. We will continue building both fiction and non fiction offerings that are authentic, engaging and rooted in local storytelling.”
The company’s Hindi flagship channel Zee TV has placed four relatively new launches among the top 10 shows in the Hindi Pay GEC category. These include Tumm Se Tumm Tak, Ganga Mai Ki Betiyan, Vasudha and Lakshmi Nivas, all introduced within the past 18 months.
Regional markets are delivering equally strong performances. Zee Marathi has recorded a 470 basis point rise in market share to 34.7 per cent in January 2026 compared with January 2025. Four of its shows, Kamli, Taarini, Veen Doghatli Hi Tutena and Lakshmi Nivas, feature among the top 10 in the Marathi GEC genre.
In eastern India, Zee Bangla has reclaimed leadership in the Bangla GEC segment in week seven of 2026, driven by five shows in the top 10 including Parineeta, Taare Dhori Dhori Mone Kori, Jowar Bhata, Amader Dadamoni and Chirodini Tumi Je Amar. The top ranked show Parineeta draws inspiration from Gen Z insights, reflecting changing audience sensibilities.
Zee Sarthak continues its five year leadership streak in the Odia GEC space with shows such as Sathi Sata Janmara, Suna Jhia, Tu Khara Mu Chhai, Tuma Bina and Bhagya Rekha occupying the top positions.
In the south, Zee Kannada maintains its long standing dominance, leading the Kannada GEC market for seven consecutive years. Seven fiction titles including Karna, Lakshmi Nivasa, Annayya, Amruthadhaare, Naa Ninna Bidalaare, Adi Lakshmi Purana and Brahmagantu form the top 7 shows in the category.
Zee Telugu is also gaining ground, emerging as the biggest channel across genres in Hyderabad while strengthening its position in the Telugu GEC segment across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Shows such as Jagadhatri, Meghasandesam, Jayam and Chamanthi occupy four of the top 10 spots.
With its regional channels gaining traction, Zee says it will continue sharpening its content playbook, focusing on stories that reflect everyday lives while tapping into evolving viewer preferences across markets.
