MAM
KBC helps Sony sprint ahead of Colors
MUMBAI: Amitabh Bachchan, the grand old man of Bollywood, has helped Sony Entertainment Television (Set) sprint ahead of Colors to grab the No. 2 position.
Set has added 50 GRPs (gross rating points) to take its total to 245 points in a week that saw the return of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) on the channel.
As per TAM data for the week ended 20 August, KBC opened in the Hindi speaking market (HSM) with a 5.24 TVR, making it the biggest non-fiction launch of the year. Though the opening of KBC this season is lower than that of last year (6.2 TVR), it is important to note that the telecast time of the show has been lengthened to 90 minutes per episode.
KBC 5 (2nd season on Sony) averaged 4.54 TVR during the week.
KBC also lifted the ratings of other fiction shows. Bade Achhe Laggte Hain, Set‘s biggest fiction show, has grown to a TVR of 3.7, while Saas Bina Sasuraal touched 2.4 TVR. CID continued to thrill the audience with an average rating of 3.5 TVR while Crime Patrol clocked 3.1 TVR.
Set senior EVP business head Sneha Rajani said, “KBC 2011 has been the only non-fiction show to open above 5 TVR this year on any Hindi GEC. We are delighted at the performance of all our shows and over the next 4 to 5 weeks we will further consolidate our position. We are confident that fiction will be the main growth driver on the channel. With a slew of promising new shows, Set will be a channel to watch out for.”
Colors has slipped to No. 3 position with 232 GRPs (preceding week 236), while Star Plus continued to be on top of the ladder with 297 GRPs (277 in previous week).
Zee TV is in fourth place for the second consecutive week with 194 GRPs (190 in trailing week), according to TAM data. Interestingly, Sony had managed to edge out Zee TV after the launch of KBC last year, though for a short time.
The rest of the pecking order remains unchanged. Sab in fifth position collected 128 GRPs (last week 127) while Imagine TV earned 76 GRPs (last week 71), followed by Star one (32 GRPs) and Sahara One (31 GRPs).
Brands
Apple CEO Tim Cook to step down after 15 years, John Ternus to take over
Leadership shake-up sees long-time hardware chief step up from September
CUPERTINO: Apple has confirmed that chief executive officer Tim Cook will step down from his role and transition to executive chairman, with senior vice president of hardware engineering John Ternus set to take over as CEO from September 1, 2026.
The transition, approved unanimously by the board, marks a carefully planned leadership shift at one of the world’s most valuable companies. Cook will remain CEO through the summer, working closely with Ternus to ensure a smooth handover before moving into his new role, where he will continue to support Apple and engage with policymakers globally.
In a memo to employees, Apple CEO Tim Cook reflected on his 15-year tenure, recalling the moment Steve Jobs asked him to step into the role. “It was an emotional and challenging moment for all of us at Apple,” he wrote, adding that the company’s core values, from simplicity and innovation to a commitment to improving lives, remain unchanged.
Explaining his decision, Cook said the company’s strong roadmap and future outlook made this the right time for a transition. “I have never been more optimistic about Apple’s future,” he noted, while announcing Ternus as his successor. He described Ternus as “a visionary in his own right” with “remarkable integrity” and the right leader to guide Apple into its next phase.
Cook said, “John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honour.”
Ternus, in his own note to employees, struck a steady, execution-focused tone. Ternus said, “It has been such a privilege to lead the hardware engineering team… I still plan to be very hands-on,” signalling continuity rather than a strategic reset.
As part of the leadership reshuffle, Ternus will step away from leading hardware engineering, with Tom Marieb taking over the role. Marieb will report to Johny Srouji, who assumes an expanded position as chief hardware officer, aligning hardware development more closely with Apple’s silicon and technology teams.
Cook also used his memo to thank employees, calling them “the most remarkable people in the world” and crediting them for building Apple into what it is today. A town hall has been scheduled at the Steve Jobs Theater to discuss the transition further.
The leadership change also sees Arthur Levinson move to the role of lead independent director, while Ternus joins Apple’s board.
Cook’s tenure has been defined by massive growth and expansion, with Apple’s market value rising from around $350 billion in 2011 to $4 trillion, alongside the launch of new product categories and a booming services business. Ternus, a 25-year Apple veteran, has played a central role in shaping the company’s hardware roadmap, from iPhone and Mac to newer innovations in materials and sustainability.
The transition signals a generational shift, but not a dramatic change in direction. If anything, both memos point to continuity, discipline and a belief that Apple’s next chapter will be built on the same values that shaped its last.
