News Broadcasting
Anuj Singhal – Fuelling CNBC Awaaz’s Unrivalled Success
Mumbai: CNBC Awaaz is a prominent Indian business news channel that primarily broadcasts in the Hindi language. It is a subsidiary of CNBC, which is known for its comprehensive coverage of business, finance, and economic news.
CNBC Awaaz focuses on delivering business and financial news in a format that is accessible to Hindi-speaking audiences in India. The channel provides real-time updates on the stock market, business developments, economic trends, and investment insights. It features discussions, interviews with industry experts, and analysis of market conditions to help viewers make informed decisions regarding their finances and investments.
The channel also covers a wide range of topics, including entrepreneurship, personal finance, and consumer-related issues. CNBC Awaaz’s programming is designed to cater to both seasoned investors and individuals looking to enhance their financial literacy. CNBC Awaaz plays a vital role in keeping viewers informed about the ever-evolving world of business, finance, and economics.
Anuj Singhal, the managing editor of CNBC-Awaaz, reflected on the journey of being a pioneer in the Hindi business news segment 18 years ago and discussed the opportunities as well as challenges in the genre today.
In the early days, CNBC was one of the few serious players in the field, with English channels like NDTV Profit attempting to enter the market. The decision to launch CNBC-Awaaz, a Hindi business channel, was based on the belief that Hindi was a growing and potentially significant market. While English was the primary language for business, the management seemed to foresee the increasing domestic investment in the market. What started as a hopeful endeavour has now become a major trend.
In terms of expansion into regional languages, CNBC-Awaaz has already established a foothold in the Gujarati language. Singhal mentioned that business news in vernacular languages will likely evolve over time, and regions like Kerala could represent a significant market. However, the decision to launch a channel in a new language would be made at the network level, considering the market’s size and potential.
When asked about what sets CNBC-Awaaz apart as the biggest player in the market, he highlighted the network’s strong reach and leverage as part of India’s top news network. “CNBC-Awaaz benefits from the research and management interviews conducted by CNBC TV18. Moreover, CNBC-Awaaz’s consistent leadership in the field and its legacy have contributed to its continued success.”
Singhal also stated that CNBC-Awaaz has a Hindi-specific strategy and a top-tier Hindi team. “Our team excels in covering policies and is among the first to report breaking news. While they may pick up some reports from CNBC TV18, they produce substantial original content, particularly related to markets.”
Regarding the influx of new investors and influencers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Anuj emphasized the importance of accuracy over speed. “CNBC-Awaaz prioritizes verification and ensures that all of the channel’s investment advisors are SEBI-licensed. This adds a level of accountability and trust for viewers,” he added.
He also noted that Mumbai is the biggest market for CNBC-Awaaz, which also includes suburban regions of the city. The channel serves traders in various parts of the city, and its viewership extends to the southern regions where Hindi business news is consumed.
Singhal highlighted the importance of the channel’s role, which includes providing feedback on industry responses to policies, which may influence government decisions.
In conclusion, Anuj Singhal’s reflections on CNBC-Awaaz’s remarkable journey in the Hindi business news segment over the past 18 years underscore the network’s pivotal role in shaping and catering to the evolving needs of India’s diverse and dynamic business landscape. With a growing interest in regional languages and the potential for further expansion, CNBC-Awaaz is poised to continue its journey of informing, educating, and influencing the business community in India. Its role in providing valuable insights and facilitating policy discussions underscores its importance as a trusted source of information and a key influencer in the realm of business news in the country.
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: 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.
