MAM
KBC propels Sony to new heights
MUMBAI: The angry “old” man of Indian cinema, Amitabh Bachchan, has once again proved his charisma as he took the fifth season of the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) to new heights on Sony Entertainment Television.
Albeit, it was a joint effort as in the history of KBC, it was the first time that a winner was taking home the grand prize of Rs 50 million. The two episodes, on 1 and 2 November, clocked a TVR of 7.2 and 8 respectively, as audiences swelled to watch a common man – Sushil Kumar from Motihari, Bihar, win the amount.
KBC has helped Set to add 51 GRPs (gross rating points) during the week ended 5 November as it marched ahead of Colors, which was at par with the channel last week.
As per TAM data (C&S, 4+, HSM), Set closed the week with 287 GRPs (last week 236), second among the Hindi general entertainment channels.
Set senior EVP and business head Sneha Rajani said, “We are extremely satisfied with the ratings of KBC and humbled by the way audiences have connected to the show. It strengthens our belief and philosophy ‘koi bhee insaan chhota nahi hota‘. The success of Sushil Kumar in KBC is an emphatic endorsement of the fact that KBC is not just a game show, but a melting pot of knowledge and aspirations of the aam aadmi.”
The Wednesday episode (2 November) of KBC5 has, in fact , became the highest TVR grosser among all shows since 2009 when Uttaran on Colors had achieved a 8+ TVR.
Set said that KBC reached out to 25 million people on Tuesday and 27 million people on Wednesday, with 18 per cent reach and 43 minutes of average time spent, the highest for this season.
Set‘s climb was also supported by other fiction properties including Crime Petrol (4.2 TVR), C.I.D. (4 TVR) and Bade Acche Lagte Hain (3.7 TVR).
Set has also broken its nine-year record to reach highest ratings. However, last time, it was on the back of the blockbuster film 3Idiots while the present rise is on pure programming.
Even after scaling to 287, Sony stayed behind genre leader Star Plus which climbed to 335 GRPs (last week 273). All the fiction properties of the channel saw an increase in viewership, helping it to surge ahead.
Colors closed the week with 240 GRPs (last week 236), while Zee TV ended with 143 GRPs (last week 131).
Sab remained in fifth position with 121 GRPS (118 GRPs last week) followed by Imagine TV with 70 GRPs (from 61 GRPs).
Star One closed with 43 GRPs (from 40 last week) and Sahara One with 34 GRPs (30 last week), according to TAM data.
Brands
Apple CEO Tim Cook to step down after 15 years, John Ternus to take over
Leadership shake-up sees long-time hardware chief step up from September
CUPERTINO: Apple has confirmed that chief executive officer Tim Cook will step down from his role and transition to executive chairman, with senior vice president of hardware engineering John Ternus set to take over as CEO from September 1, 2026.
The transition, approved unanimously by the board, marks a carefully planned leadership shift at one of the world’s most valuable companies. Cook will remain CEO through the summer, working closely with Ternus to ensure a smooth handover before moving into his new role, where he will continue to support Apple and engage with policymakers globally.
In a memo to employees, Apple CEO Tim Cook reflected on his 15-year tenure, recalling the moment Steve Jobs asked him to step into the role. “It was an emotional and challenging moment for all of us at Apple,” he wrote, adding that the company’s core values, from simplicity and innovation to a commitment to improving lives, remain unchanged.
Explaining his decision, Cook said the company’s strong roadmap and future outlook made this the right time for a transition. “I have never been more optimistic about Apple’s future,” he noted, while announcing Ternus as his successor. He described Ternus as “a visionary in his own right” with “remarkable integrity” and the right leader to guide Apple into its next phase.
Cook said, “John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honour.”
Ternus, in his own note to employees, struck a steady, execution-focused tone. Ternus said, “It has been such a privilege to lead the hardware engineering team… I still plan to be very hands-on,” signalling continuity rather than a strategic reset.
As part of the leadership reshuffle, Ternus will step away from leading hardware engineering, with Tom Marieb taking over the role. Marieb will report to Johny Srouji, who assumes an expanded position as chief hardware officer, aligning hardware development more closely with Apple’s silicon and technology teams.
Cook also used his memo to thank employees, calling them “the most remarkable people in the world” and crediting them for building Apple into what it is today. A town hall has been scheduled at the Steve Jobs Theater to discuss the transition further.
The leadership change also sees Arthur Levinson move to the role of lead independent director, while Ternus joins Apple’s board.
Cook’s tenure has been defined by massive growth and expansion, with Apple’s market value rising from around $350 billion in 2011 to $4 trillion, alongside the launch of new product categories and a booming services business. Ternus, a 25-year Apple veteran, has played a central role in shaping the company’s hardware roadmap, from iPhone and Mac to newer innovations in materials and sustainability.
The transition signals a generational shift, but not a dramatic change in direction. If anything, both memos point to continuity, discipline and a belief that Apple’s next chapter will be built on the same values that shaped its last.
