MAM
Post World Cup, Hindi GECs bounce back
MUMBAI: Facing bouncers and googlies from the cricket World Cup, India‘s Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) have regained their old order in the television audience graph in the very first week after Dhoni‘s ‘Men in Blue‘ lifted the ‘Cup that Counts‘.
The Hindi GECs mopped up 1209 GRPs, after having lost 108 GRPs in the World Cup‘s final week run.
Star Plus has retained its pole position, after being ousted by Colors briefly for a week with a strategy that involved a cut down in ad inventory.
Star Plus led the week ended 9 April with 334 GRPs (261 GRPs in previous week), according to Tam data (HSM, 4+, C&S). It added 73 GRPs (gross rating points) and its new 10 pm show, Navya, clocked an average TVR of 3.4 in its debut week.
Star Plus also aired Star Parivar Awards on 3 April (Sunday), which clocked a TVR of 4.
Colors lost 51 GRPs and is back to its No. 2 position with 249 GRPs.
Zee TV, which was hit by the World Cup, added 50 GRPs tp close the week with 221 GRPs.
The channel launched a new show, Choti Si Zindagi, at the 7 pm band, which got an average opening TVR of 0.9. All its weekday shows saw an increase in viewership and ratings. It also aired two special episodes, which got good numbers.
Meanwhile, Sony Entertainment Television (Set) regained its No. 4 position by edging out sister channel Sab. Set added 32 GRPs to end the week with 152 GRPs while Sab, after adding 12 GRPs, took its week‘s tally to 139 (from 127 GRPs).
Imagine TV continues to find the going tough, ending with a 12 GRP loss to collect 58 GRPs during the week (70 GRPs previous week).
Star One and Sahara One were at 32 and 24 GRPs, according to Tam data.
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.
