News Broadcasting
Former CNN anchor Riz Khan joins forces with Al Jazeera Intl
MUMBAI: Former CNN International anchor Riz Khan has joined the upcoming news network Al jazeera International. He will host an interactive interview show. When he was at CNN Khan hosted the show Q&A which was also interactive in nature. Al Jazeera International a 24-hour, English-language news and current affairs channel is set to broadcast globally from next year.
Khan’s new show, live daily from Washington DC, will feature world leaders, newsmakers and celebrities in a question and answer format led by viewer participation. Speaking about the upcoming channel Al Jazeera International MD Nigel Parson said, “This is the most exciting television news and current affairs project in decades. It will revolutionise the global news industry by offering viewers across the world a fresh perspective on news.”
Khan’s show – aimed at being the world’s most interactive interview programme – will allow viewers to directly talk to newsmakers with their questions. Khan says, “I think we are at a turning point where viewers across the world are looking for a fresh approach to news and information. Al Jazeera brings together all the pieces to provide a complete picture on global issues. I’m incredibly excited to have this rare chance to build something so new and influential from the ground up.
“Al Jazeera International is all about revolutionising viewer choice. I’ve now got the chance to offer viewers around the globe a much-needed voice on the world stage. Imagine, a person at any level in society, in almost any country, having the chance to talk directly with a President or a Prime Minister, or even a global celebrity. It’s a wonderfully honest and equal opportunity for people – something still uncommon in broadcasting.”
News Broadcasting
News TV viewership jumps 33 per cent as West Asia war draws audiences
BARC Week 8 data shows news share rising to 8 per cent despite T20 World Cup
NEW DELHI:Â Even as individual television news channel ratings remain under a temporary pause, the genre itself is seeing a clear surge in audience attention.
According to the latest data from Broadcast Audience Research Council India, television news recorded a 33 per cent jump in genre share in Week 8 of 2026, covering February 28 to March 6.
The news genre accounted for 8 per cent of total television viewership during the week, up from 6 per cent the previous week. The spike in attention coincided with escalating geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which have kept global headlines firmly fixed on West Asia.
The rise is notable because it came at a time when cricket was dominating television screens. The high-stakes stages of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, including the Super 8 fixtures and semi-finals, were being broadcast during the same period.
Despite the cricket frenzy, viewers appeared to be toggling between sport and global affairs, boosting the overall share of news programming.
The surge in genre share comes even as the government has enforced a one-month pause on publishing ratings for individual news channels. The move followed regulatory scrutiny of the television ratings ecosystem.
While channel-level rankings remain temporarily out of sight, the genre-level data suggests that when global tensions escalate, audiences continue to turn to television news for real-time updates.
