News Broadcasting
Times Now continues undisputed leadership
Mumbai: Asserting its dominance as the election news headquarters, Times Now emerged as the preferred news destination during the six-week polling phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Commanding the electoral landscape with extensive election reportage, and curated programming, Times Now led with a 29 per cent market share (BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| Wk.16-21’24) and garnered an impressive 31 per cent market share (BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| Wk.21’24, Weekdays 2000-2300hrs) in primetime viewership outpacing its competitors.
Viewership Shares – Wk.16-21 2024
Source: BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| Wk.16-21’24
Prime Time Shares
Source: BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| Wk.21’24, Weekdays 2000-2300hrs
As the elections advanced in phases, on the 5th phase of polling day, May 20, 2024, Times Now demonstrated its leadership by securing an impressive 27% viewership share (BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| 20th May 2024) reinforcing its dominance even on polling days.
5th Polling Day – 20th May 2024
Source: BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| 20th May 2024
Election news coverage on Times Now set a new benchmark in reportage, offering viewers comprehensive and engaging content throughout the electoral process. The channel’s strategic content included flagship shows like India Upfront and The Newshour; exclusive interviews with top political leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, which were top picks among viewers. In a series of firsts for the channel, the special election programming featured engaging shows such as Election Premier League, Public Manch, and National Debate that encouraged critical thinking and active engagement in the democratic process, solidifying Times Now’s position as the go-to choice for election coverage. Enhancing the election coverage, the innovative ‘Election Yatra’ mobile studio travelled across the country, capturing the essence of democracy through interviews and on-ground talk shows.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to air live counting day coverage for five state election results on May 4
The channel is rolling out its biggest election coverage machinery yet for results day on 4th May
NOIDA: The votes have been cast. Now comes the reckoning. CNN-News18 is pulling out all the stops for results day on 4th May, when counting begins across five battleground states — West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry — in what promises to be one of the most closely watched electoral verdicts in recent memory.
The channel’s coverage, titled Battle for the States: The Verdict, kicks off at 7am and runs through the day across linear TV, connected television and YouTube. It is the culmination of CNN-News18’s multi-format editorial initiative, Battle for the States, which has tracked the polls from the beginning under the theme Road to Power.
At the operational heart of the coverage will be the Live Results Hub, the channel’s central command centre built to collate, verify and process real-time data flowing in from reporters stationed at counting centres across constituencies. The hub combines newsroom intelligence, analytics and on-the-ground reporting to deliver what the channel promises will be the fastest and most accurate results coverage in English news.
Leading the on-air charge will be primetime anchors Rahul Shivshankar, Anand Narasimhan, Aman Sharma, Nabila Jamal and Shivani Gupta. They will be joined by a wide panel of commentators including author Chetan Bhagat; GVL Narasimha Rao, senior leader of the BJP; Smita Prakash, editor of ANI; activist Saira Shah Halim; political analyst Sumanth C Raman; Abhijit Iyer Mitra, senior fellow at IPCS; Amitabh Tiwari, founder of VoteVibe; columnist Abhijit Majumdar; Nalin Mehta, managing editor of MoneyControl; political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla; senior journalist Subir Bhaumik; and political analyst Manojit Mandal.
Shivshankar, who serves as editorial affairs director at CNN-News18, set out the stakes plainly. “Counting day is one of the most watched events in the electoral cycle, where speed and credibility are tested in real time,” he said. “Battle for the States: The Verdict is built on that promise, combining ground reporting, sharp analysis and cutting-edge election technology to give viewers the clearest and fastest route to the verdict. On May 4, CNN-News18 will once again be the nation’s most trusted channel to witness democracy in action.”
Smriti Mehra, chief executive of English and Business News at Network18, framed the coverage in broader terms. “Elections are defining national events, and audiences turn to brands they trust in moments that matter,” she said. “CNN-News18 has consistently led from the front in every election coverage, and this special programming reflects the scale of our ambition and editorial strength.”
The channel has form here. It claims to have been India’s most preferred English news destination for election results for the past 20 years, covering everything from the 2024 general elections to the Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar and BMC polls on the back of what it calls an “Always First, Always Right” record. Five states, one day, and a nation waiting for answers. The clock starts at 7am on 4th May.
