News Broadcasting
Zee News unveils India’s first media-led deepfake detection system
MUMBAI: Truth just got a new tech ally. Zee News, in collaboration with Neural Defend, has rolled out India’s first AI-powered deepfake verification system for the news media, putting advanced fact-checking directly in the hands of citizens.
The initiative comes at a time when deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation are fast eroding public trust. Studies reveal that nearly 96 per cent of manipulated videos slip past the average viewer undetected, threatening journalism and democracy alike. By offering a simple drag-and-drop interface where users can upload videos, images, or audio files for instant verification, Zee News is making authenticity accessible to everyone.
Unveiling the platform during a prime-time broadcast, managing editor Rahul Sinha urged viewers to test any suspicious video themselves. “Trust is the new benchmark,” added ZMCL marketing head Anindya Khare, noting that the system not only safeguards audiences, particularly younger, digital-first viewers but also provides advertisers with a brand-safe environment rooted in credibility.
On the tech front, ZMCL CTO Vijayant Kumar explained that Neural Defend’s AI engine can detect even the most sophisticated manipulations within seconds. “This is not just innovation for today but a safeguard for tomorrow’s information ecosystem,” he said.
By integrating deepfake detection across TV, web, and digital platforms, Zee News is cementing its position as a technology-first newsroom, one that is not only reporting the truth but also helping audiences verify it.
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.
