News Broadcasting
WarnerMedia opens new regional hub in Singapore
Mumbai: Global media company WarnerMedia on Friday opened a new regional hub for Asia (excluding China and Japan) in Singapore.
The office was officially opened by Singapore’s minister for communications and information (MCI) Josephine Teo and it signals the full integration of WarnerMedia’s business in the region that includes Warner Bros, HBO, and Turner brands. It also houses the new streaming platform HBO Max, which is expected to launch in its first Asian markets in the future.
“Our new flagship office is truly spectacular. More than just a new workspace, it brings together the most incredible parts of our diverse business – from Harry Potter’s Wizarding World to Looney Tunes, Game of Thrones, and Wonder Woman – under one roof for the first time,” said WarnerMedia managing director for India, Southeast Asia and Korea Clement Schwebig. “Here in Singapore, we have long supported a sizeable ecosystem for the entertainment, broadcast, production, and licensing industries. From our new Singapore hub, we will continue with our ambitious plans for the region.”
WarnerMedia expects to substantially increase additional roles in Singapore in the coming years, including those in the technology field as the company increases focus on its direct-to-consumer streaming business led by Amit Malhotra as HBO Max managing director for Southeast Asia, India, and Korea.
“As we get ready to launch HBO Max in our first Asian markets, we’ll build on WarnerMedia’s legacy of incredible stories and introduce a brand-new streaming experience for our fans in the region,” said Malhotra. “Our new office space in Singapore as a regional HQ will be the perfect backdrop for the innovative work to be done in the lead up to our launch.”
On a tour of the office, minister Teo also met with young Singaporean employees, who discussed their early experiences in the media industry. Joining her was Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) chief executive Lew Chuen Hong. “There is tremendous potential in this region, and the new hub signals the central role that Singapore plays in WarnerMedia’s expansion plans. Wonderful opportunities will be created for our media talents and the broader ecosystem, both in Singapore and in Asia,” Hong said.
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.
