News Broadcasting
Ten Sports continues running circles around ESS courtesy WWE
MUMBAI: Despite the lack of promotional and marketing campaigns to create viewer awareness about its content, Ten Sports continues to put ESPN Star Sports on the mat courtesy Vince MacMahon’s World Wrestling Entertainment.
TAM data for the week 4-10 May for C&S homes 4+ paints a revealing picture. Ten Sports’ highest rated show is Smackdown. on 6 May. That Mumbaiites in particular are feasting their eyes on the growing conflict between Big Show and Brock Lesnar can be gauged by the fact that the show registered a TVR of 3. Delhi was next with a figure of 1.9. For all India, it had a TVR of 1.30. In fact seven of the top ten shows are wrestling oriented. The other three are informative news based bulletins. After Smackdown , the next four highest rated shows on the channel had all India TVRs of 1.06, 1.01, 0.81 and 0.81 respectively. RAW with the antics of HHH and Kevin Nash features prominently here.
If you consider all India TVRs, not a single show on ESS has reached even 0.50. In the six major metros, none of Star Sports’ top ten shows have managed to reach a TVR of 1. Its top rated show Autosports International has drawn a blank in Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore. In Mumbai, it had a TVR of 0.72. If you thought ESPN would put up a better show courtesy non-India cricket, think again. The test series between Australia and West Indies which saw Steve Waugh’s men triumph 3-1 managed to draw a TVR of over 1 in the major metros just once. That was in Kolkata where it had a TVR of 1.06. It appears that unless the Indian cricket fan is emotionally involved he couldn’t care less.
The same holds true for Ten Sports. Its cricket rating snippet pops in at number 11. You have to reach number 25 before a cricket match finally appears on Ten Sports in the form of the one day match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The silver lining is that it managed a TVR of 1.03 in Kolkata.
Star Sports’ top five shows had low all-India TVRs of 0.19. 0.14 and 0.13. They include the much hyped live telecast of Formula One. ESPN fares marginally better with all India TVRs of 0.31, 0.28, 0.27 and 0.25.
The argument that India is a “sports-dud” nation is certainly borne out by the ratings.
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.
