News Broadcasting
Aaj Tak wins the absolute majority
Mumbai: During the crucial counting hours of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, AajTak emerged as the undisputed leader in news broadcasting, capturing an astonishing market share of over 50 per cent.
This milestone represents not just a victory but an absolute dominance in the media landscape, with AajTak’s viewership surpassing the combined sum of all other channels.
Source: Hindi News Channels | Concurrent Users | YouTube Live | Primary Feed | 4th June 0800-1759 Hrs
Within the first two hours of counting, AajTak surged ahead with an impressive market share peaking at a staggering 60 per cent. This commanding lead underscores the channel’s unparalleled reach and influence among viewers seeking real-time election updates and analysis.
In a remarkable display of supremacy, AajTak‘s peak viewership was recorded at 3.5 times higher than the closest competitor, solidifying its position as the go-to destination for election coverage.
This unprecedented achievement reaffirms AajTak‘s status as the nation’s preferred news source during critical events.
With its unwavering commitment to delivering accurate and timely news, AajTak has once again demonstrated its ability to captivate audiences and set new benchmarks in media excellence.
As the channel continues to lead the way in journalistic integrity and viewer engagement, its dominance in the news sphere remains unchallenged.
News Broadcasting
News TV viewership jumps 33 per cent as West Asia war draws audiences
BARC Week 8 data shows news share rising to 8 per cent despite T20 World Cup
NEW DELHI: Even as individual television news channel ratings remain under a temporary pause, the genre itself is seeing a clear surge in audience attention.
According to the latest data from Broadcast Audience Research Council India, television news recorded a 33 per cent jump in genre share in Week 8 of 2026, covering February 28 to March 6.
The news genre accounted for 8 per cent of total television viewership during the week, up from 6 per cent the previous week. The spike in attention coincided with escalating geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which have kept global headlines firmly fixed on West Asia.
The rise is notable because it came at a time when cricket was dominating television screens. The high-stakes stages of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, including the Super 8 fixtures and semi-finals, were being broadcast during the same period.
Despite the cricket frenzy, viewers appeared to be toggling between sport and global affairs, boosting the overall share of news programming.
The surge in genre share comes even as the government has enforced a one-month pause on publishing ratings for individual news channels. The move followed regulatory scrutiny of the television ratings ecosystem.
While channel-level rankings remain temporarily out of sight, the genre-level data suggests that when global tensions escalate, audiences continue to turn to television news for real-time updates.
