News Broadcasting
Industry cream turns up in strength for Tellys ’02
MUMBAI: It was a fitting tribute to the best of the small screen talents in the country.
In a dazzling function at the Tulip Star (formerly Juhu Centaur) Poolside in Mumbai on Friday evening, the best of channels, actors and TV shows along with television personalities who left a lasting impression on TV this year were feted with the best awards in the television industry – The Indian Telly Awards 2002.
In the presence of media luminaries like Dr Prannoy Roy, Peter Mukerjea and Yash Chopra, the awards, in their second year, felicitated the popular awards categories on Friday evening. It was perhaps appropriate that the hugely popular TV personalities Aman Verma and Nausheen (Kkusum) kicked off the proceedings with the announcement of the posthumous awards. Priya ‘Rajani’ Tendulkar and Dina Pathak, both stage and TV veterans in their own right passed away recently, were remembered fondly through audio visual clips and awards presented in their memory.
Meghna Naidu, who had enthralled audiences the earlier evening at the Indian Telly Trade and Technical Awards 2002 with her rendition of Kaliyon ka Chaman, regaled spectators with another scintillating performance before the next set of awards. The best sitcom of the year award was bagged by Office Office for Sabe TV.
The award for best comic shorts went to MTV’s Fully Faltoo. NDTV’s Reality Bites : LOC /DODA on Star News was adjudged the best current affairs programme, while the business show of the year award went to TV18’s India Business Hour on CNBC India.
The best music show of the year award was bestowed on B.A.G. Films’ Chalti ka Naam Antakshari on Star Plus. The best game show of the award was bagged by Synergy Productions’ Kaun Banega Crorepati on Star Plus.
After a whacky break with the Band of Boys with their medley of Meri Keened, You drive me crazy and Tirchee, anchors Verma and Nausheen presented the third set of awards including the best sports programme which went to Super Selector on ESPN / Star Sports. Derek O Brien’s Bournvita Quiz Contest on Zee TV bagged the best kids’ show of the year award. The best non fiction show of the year award was bagged by Kuch Yaadein Kuch Baatein, produced by Miditech for Star Gold.
The best thriller/horror show of the year award was won by Tijori Films’ Dial 100 on Sabe TV, while the best continuing TV show award was bagged by the popular Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi on Star Plus. Balaji Telefilms’ Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki bagged the best drama series award.
Aaj Tak won the best news channel award, while MTV won the best music channel award. Star Plus bagged the entertainment channel of the year award.
The TV actor in a comic role was bagged by Pankaj Kapur for Office Office, while the award for TV actress in a comic role was won by Reema for Tu Tu Main Main. Govind Namdeo won the award for TV actor in a negative role, while Shweta Kawatra bagged the TV actress in negative role.
Rajdeep Sardesai won the award for TV news anchor of the year award while Amitabh Bachchan, winner of last year’s personality of the year award, won the TV anchor of the year this year for KBC.
Aman Verma, the evening co-host, was also the winner of the TV personality of the year award, while Star Plus’ Tarun Katial bagged the TV programming executive of the year award. The TV CEO award was shared by Aaj Tak’s G Krishnan and Star India’s Peter Mukerjea.
Balaji Telefilms, makers of the most popular serials on TV today, walked away with the production house of the year award, while Umesh Padalkar got the award for the TV director of the year award.
TV show of the year was bagged by Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Smriti Malhotra Irani was adjudged the TV actress of the year, while the TV actor award was shared by Shivaji Satam for CID and Kiran Karmarkar for Kahaani….
Among the highlights of the evening came when Ashutosh Lagaan Gowariker presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to NDTV’s Dr Roy. While accepting the award, Dr Roy, whose public appearances are extremely rare, said he felt truly privileged to be receiving it from someone who had bequeathed to the country a great work of cinema in Lagaan. Dr Roy also emphasised how invaluable to NDTV was the role of his wife Radhika Roy, who he referred to as a real source of strength and an “organisation builder.”
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.
