News Broadcasting
HISTORY TV18 unveils documentary on the Lok Sabha Election in association with the Election Commission
MUMBAI: HISTORY TV18 today announced the release of its original production,“India Inked:History’s Biggest Election”whichbrings to life,‘the making of’the world’slargest ever, democratic exercise.The documentaryshowcases incredible facts, facets and stories of the colossal event, as never-seen-before. The show premieres exclusively on HISTORY TV18 on 7th August 2019, at 9 PM.
India Inked:History’s Biggest Electiongoes beyond politics, age, gender, religion and geography to bring forth diverse narratives of voters, as well as of the unsung heroes ofthe record-setting endeavour. The one-hour special takes viewers on a mission across the length and breadth of the country and reveals the efforts of the Election Commission,various institutions and individuals,who overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, to conduct a free and fair election.
Sunil Arora, Chief Election Commissioner of India said, “India’s General Election 2019, was the largest democratic exercise in history, with staggering statistics and daunting logistic needs. It is an example for the rest of the world in how to conduct free and fair polls. The EC’s teams, both permanent and those requisitioned for the specific purpose of conducting and overseeing the elections, have been exemplary in their service to the nation and to the fundamentals of democracy, as enshrined in India’s constitution.
The Election Commission is happy to be associated with HISTORY TV18 in the creation of the documentary ‘INDIA INKED: HISTORY’S BIGGEST ELECTION’ that showcases what it takes to make it possible for the people of India to elect their parliamentary representatives. It is equally a testament to Indian voters, who turned out in the largest numbers ever, to cast their vote.”
Avinash Kaul, Managing Director A+E Networks | TV18 and CEO- Network18 added "With ‘India Inked: History’s Biggest Election’, HISTORY TV18 reaffirms its promiseof offering content that is contemporary, compellingand informative. We sincerely thank the Election Commission for providing special access to our teams in the creation of the show. The documentary also reasserts our core philosophy thathistory is made every day, by ordinary people doing extraordinary things.”
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.
