News Broadcasting
Aaj Tak grabs 19% market share during election coverage
MUMBAI: Aaj Tak has acquired 19 per cent of Hindi News channel market share on counting day of Maharashtra and Haryana state assembly elections 2019. The channel was ahead with 27 million more impressions than the next channel.
The data released by BARC is evident in how the viewers continue to prefer the India Today Group when it comes to 360-degree election coverage.
The India Today Group’s Axis My India exit poll, accurately predicted the outcome of the State Assembly Elections in Maharashtra and Haryana, while most other media outlets faltered. On-the-ground reporting, accurate exit polls prediction and the use of state-of-the-art tools for election coverage on a large scale led the group to the No.1 position.
On the counting day, Aaj Tak’s share was 19 per cent of all 14 Hindi news channels, placing it on the topmost rung of the ladder when it comes to viewership. India’s most-watched Hindi news channel, Aaj Tak, was 27 million gross impressions ahead of ABP News that held the No.2 position. During the hours when the votes were being counted, Aaj Tak’s viewership surpassed that of other TV channels like Sony TV, Zee TV and Colors.
(Source – BARC, TG- 15+, Market – HSM, Time Band – 8:00 to 18:00 hrs). In the 15+ M AB TG, Aaj Tak was the No.1 TV Channel in HSM Market(Source – BARC, Market – HSM, Time Band – 8:00 to 18:00 hrs)
|
Channel |
WK43'19 |
|
Aaj Tak |
126137 |
|
ABP News |
98751 |
|
India TV |
95809 |
|
News18 India |
95468 |
|
Zee News |
89434 |
|
Republic Bharat |
84704 |
|
News Nation |
53842 |
|
News 24 |
41856 |
|
TV9 Bharatvarsh |
41572 |
|
Tez |
36388 |
|
India News |
26974 |
|
NDTV India |
19771 |
|
Zee Hindustan |
19629 |
|
DD News |
8552 |
*Source – BARC, 15+, HSM, G Imp’000
|
Channel |
Shr% |
|
Aaj Tak |
19.0 |
|
ABP News |
16.0 |
|
NDTV India |
2.0 |
|
News 24 |
6.0 |
|
News Nation |
5.0 |
|
Zee News |
10.0 |
|
India TV |
11.0 |
|
India News |
3.0 |
|
DD News |
1.0 |
|
Tez |
3.0 |
|
News18 India |
10.0 |
|
Zee Hindustan |
3.0 |
|
Republic Bharat |
9.0 |
|
TV9 Bharatvarsh |
4.0 |
*Source: BARC, TG: 15+ NCCS ALL, Mkt: HSM, Period: 24th Oct’19, TB:0800-2400Hrs, Market shr% based on 14 Hindi News Channels.
India Today TV was also on the No.1 position in the English news genre, surpassing channels like Times Now, Republic TV, NDTV 24×7 among others. On the polling day and the counting day combined, it recorded the highest number of gross impressions in all the megacities of India.
|
Channel |
Gross Imp'000s |
|
India Today Television |
109 |
|
Times Now |
101 |
|
Republic |
90 |
|
NDTV 24×7 |
34 |
|
CNN News 18 |
25 |
|
Mirror Now |
15 |
|
Wion |
4 |
|
India Ahead |
1 |
|
News X |
0 |
*Source : BARC, Market: Megacities, TG: Males 22+AB,Dates: 21st Oct'19 & 24th Oct'19,Gross imp'000s.
India Today TV increased its viewership by 149.6 per cent compared to the previous week.
|
Channel |
WK42'19 |
WK43'19 |
Growth Compare to last week |
|
India Today Television |
87 |
218 |
149.6% |
|
Times Now |
152 |
219 |
44.5% |
|
Republic TV |
158 |
227 |
43.9% |
|
CNN News18 |
43 |
60 |
40.0% |
|
NDTV 24×7 |
45 |
58 |
29.5% |
|
Mirror Now |
50 |
47 |
-5.8% |
|
Wion |
38 |
22 |
-42.6% |
|
India Ahead |
4 |
10 |
133.7% |
|
News X |
8 |
2 |
-74.5% |
*Source – BARC, 22+ M AB, Period as per below table, Gimp’000)
It may be recalled that during the General Elections in May 2019, the picture was not very different. Aaj Tak and the India Today TV ruled the poll viewership, with 13 crore viewers tuning into Aaj Tak on the counting day alone (Universe, All India, Counting Day) and being the most watched channel across genres. India Today TV had not only beaten the other English news channels but also recorded a viewership that was higher than other English infotainment and entertainment channels (NCCS A, Megacities, Counting Day).
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
