News Broadcasting
News channels ride high on FII pull
MUMBAI: News channels NDTV and TV Today Network had a great run in the market, buoyed by huge volume transactions on the eve of the New Year.
The appetitive for these two scrips was fuelled by reports that the government would allow foreign institutional investments up to 26 per cent in news channels. The cap on foreign holding, however, would stay at 26 per cent.
While NDTV rose a whopping 20 per cent to end at a new high of Rs 146.15, TV Today Network rose 9.26 per cent to Rs 103.20. Incidentally, the foreign holding in both these companies is negligible. TV Today had a 6.21 per cent foreign shareholding, while foreign institutional investors (FIIs) held 3.05 per cent stake in NDTV.
“There is scope to substantially increase FII investment in the two companies,” says a fund manager in a leading broking house.
NDTV had a total volume of 5.16 lakh transactions on the BSE, way above its normal trading day. TV Today saw 4.80 lakh shares being traded. Compare this with TV Eighteeen’s volume figure of 22,491 shares being traded and the scrip rising 3.04 per cent to close at Rs 226.95.
“TV18 already has a foreign holding of 25 per cent. There is very little scope of foreign investors playing in that scrip,” says an analyst. CNBC-TV18, a business channel, is a joint venture between TV18 and CNBC.
“Domestic institutions showed active interest in NDTV and TV Today in anticipation of FIIs stepping in to buy these stocks,” adds the analyst.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
