News Broadcasting
Aaj Tak shinning: AC Nielsen study
According to a press release issued by Aaj Tak, the study claims that Aaj Tak has a Brand Equity Index of 4.3 among the news channels, which is more than twice that of its nearest competitor.
At 42 per cent, Aaj Tak also has the highest top-of-mind awareness amongst the news channels followed by Star News and Zee News.
The study was conducted by AC Nielsen to understand the brand equity and perceptions of various news channels and to determine the factors that drive news viewership.
The study was conducted by AC Nielsen to understand the brand equity and perceptions of various news channels and to determine the factors that drive news viewership.
The news channels market is becoming fiercely competitive. In fact, news has emerged as a genre that has the maximum number of channels in India, offers the official statement from TV Today Network.
Rather than focusing on just the rating of the various news channels, the AC Nielsen study also analysed the factors that affect the way in which a channel is perceived by viewers, which in turn impacts both viewership and loyalty.
The study established Aaj Tak as an unbiased channel that focuses on each story with the aim of not just delivering it to the viewers in the best and fastest manner, but also brings about reform.
Other key findings includes:
Aaj Tak is the most preferred channel in the news genre
News bulletins are the most preferred news programme, followed by political interviews
Business news and news-based discussions are preferred primarily by SEC A
Driving force for news channel choice are:
Reliability of news
Relevance of news items for viewer
News that instills social responsibility
Creates awareness and understanding of critical issues
Variety of topics and areas covered
This is not the first time that Aaj Tak has been acknowledged as the leader in the news genre. In the Brand Derby survey conducted by Business Standard (Strategist) in 2003, Aaj Tak was the only channel that featured in the list of very successful brand launches in the past seven years.
In Brand Derby 2002, Aaj Tak was the only media brand to be featured amongst the most successful brands. In the last three years, Aaj Tak has won five ‘Best News Channel’ awards, apart from innumerable other awards in various categories.
Needless to add, Aaj Tak claims, its extremely high brand equity is a function of a potent mix of incredible content management, along with the phenomenal success of its sales, marketing and distribution.
The AC Nielsen study was undertaken in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata, and was based on exhaustive interviews with males in the SEC category A/B/C in the age group 25-50.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
