News Broadcasting
CNBC-TV18 launches new show on business beyond the metros
MUMBAI: CNBC-TV18 today announced the launch of Awaaz, a bilingual new series that focuses on business away from the metros, in the small towns, in booming mini metros, and in the heartlands of India.
The first episode of Awaaz will air on Saturday, 7 February at 6.30 pm with a repeat telecast on Sunday at 8 pm.
Set in the heartlands of India, Awaaz is a 30-minute weekly show that captures small, unusual business opportunities and addresses consumer issues. The approach of the whole show is similar to that of a catalogue. The information is very ‘detailed and micro’. It is not about concepts and opinions, it’s more ‘facts’, ‘ground realities’ and tells you how to execute and run a successful business
An official release informs that an inherent feature of the show is that it is an interactive forum for people to call and get their queries answered from the experts in the studio. The show, therefore, is actually driven by what the viewer wants and inviting feedback and comments is another regular feature of the show.
Said CNBC-TV18 VP sales and marketing Saikumar, “Awaaz is simply a reflection of our belief and knowledge, that business is no longer an urban or a localised phenomenon. It is clear today for everyone to see that the business and entrepreneurial spirit is sweeping all parts of the country. Awaaz is a tribute to that spirit. The series is also an indicator of the growing reach and influence of CNBC-TV18 in small towns and non metro regions of the country. We believe that this show fills a unique need gap and will be appreciated by audiences across the nation.”
The highlights of this show are as follows:
* Highlights of business opportunities, preferably entrepreneurial in nature.
* Case studies that explore business and the consumer, beyond the metros and get the picture in other buzzing commercial centres of India.
* Interviews that give a first-hand view of someone in a particular business and through his/her experiences highlight the core elements of the business.
* Viewers call-in and talk directly to an industry leader or business veteran and get answers to all kinds of queries on how to start, sustain and grow a business.
* Pressing ‘consumer issues and concerns’. All the help consumers need to make informed decisions on everything from home loans and property loans to buying second hand cars and more.
* The Launchpad segment, which talks about new products and deals in the market.
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.
