News Broadcasting
Aaj Tak led the pack till end March : TAM
MUMBAI: The day of reckoning is here. With the NDTV news channels making their debut today, the array of news channels is finally complete – Aaj Tak, Headlines Today, Zee News, Sahara Samay, Star News, NDTV India and NDTV 24x 7.
As we await data to find if these new news channels deliver and live upto people’s expectations, we take a look at how the old players namely, Aaj Tak, BBC, CNBC, CNN, Star news and Zee news fared in Delhi and Mumbai, during the last week of March (prior to the launch of the new news channels).
Interestingly, the Emediaplan search result for the top 15 programmes on the channels reveals that while BBC , CNN and CNBC didn’t figure anywhere in both metros, it was a close battle between Aaj Tak and Zee News in Delhi, with Aaj Tak occupying nine of the top 15 shows. In Mumbai, Aaj Tak hogged all the top 15 programmes (C&S households, 4+).
In Delhi, Aaj Tak at 11:00 pm garnered a rating of 2.66 followed by Zee’s Ghamasan 2003 getting 2.6. Apart from Aaj Tak news and Aaj Tak headlines, the channel’s show Duniya Ravivar too, did well and harnessed a rating of 2.33. Similarly, apart from Zee’s News and Headlines, shows like Bis Saal Baad and Time Machine too got a good rating of 2.21 and 2.07 respectively.
In Mumbai, Aaj Tak’s domination in the top 15 programmes is a clear indicator of the fact that the channel has carved an impressive niche for itself in the metropolis. With new entrants like Sahara Samay, Star News and NDTV news channels, the new round of competition for higher ratings, however, may have just begun.
News Broadcasting
Mihir Bhatt appointed as chief content officer at News18 Studios
The media veteran brings two decades of experience across television, digital and radio to one of India’s biggest broadcast networks, Disney+ Hotstar, Discovery+
NEW DELHI: Network18 has a new strategist in the building. Mihir Bhatt, one of Indian media’s more versatile operators, has joined News18 Studios as chief content officer, stepping into a role that will see him shape content strategy, build multi-platform properties and drive brand partnerships across the network.
Bhatt brings more than two decades of experience spanning television, digital and radio, with a track record of doing something rare in Indian media: combining editorial ambition with hard commercial results. At Times Network, where he served as managing editor and chief business officer of Times Influence, he built one of the industry’s more respected content studios, launching marquee properties such as the India Economic Conclave, the Times Now Summit and Leaders of Tomorrow. He also pushed the network into premium OTT territory through tie-ups with Disney+ Hotstar and Discovery+.
His resume stretches well beyond the studio. Bhatt has led Global Investor Summits for multiple state governments, worked alongside the World Economic Forum and played a pivotal role in launching the Indian Pickleball League. Earlier, as editor of Zee Business, he pioneered investor education initiatives that are still cited as industry benchmarks.
At News18 Studios, Bhatt will report to chief executive S Shivakumar and will oversee the studios execution vertical alongside revenue verticals covering emerging markets and campaigns. Sidharth Saini, Hemanth Kumar and Nimar Sarkaria will work under him.
Rahul Joshi, managing director and editor-in-chief of Network18 Group, made the announcement in an internal communication. “Mihir’s ability to build enduring brands, foster strategic partnerships and navigate a rapidly evolving media landscape will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our position and explore new avenues of growth in the Studios business,” Joshi said.
In a media industry lurching between disruption and reinvention, Network18 has bet on a man who has spent two decades thriving in exactly that chaos. Whether he can do it again, at greater scale, is the question worth watching.
