News Broadcasting
“Outdated measurement system promoting dramatic reporting on news channels”: ABP Network’s Avinash Pandey
NEW DELHI: Recently, Indiantelevision.com came out with a story on the aftermath of the untimely demise of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput and the media circus that followed sharing crucial details of his reported suicide. While many attributed it to the constant race to gain TRPs, some indicated that Indian audience thrives on the unnecessary frivolous drama that channels propagate.
Addressing the same concerns in a virtual fireside chat with Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO and editor in chief Anil Wanvari, ABP Network (earlier ABP News Network) CEO Avinash Pandey stated that another issue forcing Indian news channels to indulge in dramatic reportage is the outdated measurement system deciding the ratings.
“The rating system measures entertainment very perfectly; it may not be measuring news very perfectly. The content sensibilities for different levels of society in India are very different. The NCCS model today is so generalised that there is hardly any scope for good content to thrive. The NCCS A group today, even our drivers could easily qualify for that,” Pandey explained.
“And this is not just for news, in fact. If you look at the overall TV industry, so many unique content channels get zero ratings and eventually closed. It’s not that they don’t have any viewers but the rating (system) today doesn’t reflect their true constituency.”
He added that it is difficult to digest that so many people are searching for and watching content like that on pull mediums but reject that on push mediums.
Pandey agreed that television news industry is heavily dependent on advertisers today and based on ratings, it is evident that ‘song, dance, drama’ works. “Telling story in a dramatised way, literally on the boundary of being frivolous gets you the ratings. That’s the sad part that makes you think that what is the future of doing good journalism on TV in our country?”
Pandey shared that ABP Network, however, is trying its best to steer away from it. “We have stopped regular debates on our channels. When you are keeping a scheduled time for debate, you are forced to pick up a topic, which then leads to agenda pushing. We do not take ads from any fortune-teller or baba or put their content on our channels,” he elaborated.
He insisted that it is trying to adhere to highest quality standards when it comes to reporting and also denied that the channel was insensitive in covering Rajput’s story.
On being prodded about the treatment of Tabhligi Jamat on his channel during the onset of Covid2019 pandemic, Pandey shared that it was a heated time of ‘unprecedented uncertainty’ that led the reporters and anchors to deal with the subject in a different manner, picking up on the reasons that were leading to the spread of the diseases.
He added that the channel is constantly evolving its reportage based on the developments happening in the industry and around the world.
Watch the full discussion here:
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
