News Broadcasting
Veteran BBC broadcaster Alistair Cooke passes away
MUMBAI: Veteran BBC broadcaster Alistair Cooke, who authored Letter From America for 58 years, died today at his New York home. He was 95.
Cooke died at his home in New York at midnight local time. No cause of death was given, but Cooke had filed in his final letter earlier this month because of heart disease.
Cooke’s informed and engaging despatch from the United States, Letter From America started in 1946 and ran every week thereafter for more than 2,500 shows, making it the longest running radio programme in the world, says a BBC press release.
BBC paid tribute to Alistair Cooke, one of its most nduring, distinctive and well-loved broadcasters, today.
Says BBC’s acting director general,Mark Byford, “Alistair Cooke was one of the greatest broadcasters ever in the history of the BBC – an outstanding commentator of the 20th Century. His insight, wisdom and unique ability to craft words enabled millions of listeners in the UK and around the world to understand the texture of the United States and its people. All of us at the BBC are saddened today.”
BBC Radio director Jenny Abramsky said: “With his superb voice and masterly turn of phrase, Alistair Cooke, was the most brilliant radio chronicler of his age. His contribution to BBC Radio over decades was unmatched. Above all, his relationship with his listeners was unique. BBC Radio is grateful for the decades of contributions from Alistair Cooke and we will miss him greatly.”
BBC Radio 4 controller Helen Boaden said, “Millions of listeners over many years have enjoyed Alastair Cooke’s Letters from America. Many of us charted our lives through them. He was wry, wise and always insightful. We shall miss him very much.”
Offering his condolences BBC News director Richard Sambrook said: “Alistair Cooke was a wonderful broadcaster combining intelligence, shrewd judgement about the affairs of the world and elegance in his writing. For generations of listeners he was a bridge across the Atlantic. We’ll all miss him.”
His family informed the BBC of his death.
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.
