News Broadcasting
‘Amanat’ bids adieu tonight after marathon run
MUMBAI:Amanat, the show that had pride of place in Zee’s programming and led one of the longest and most popular runs on Indian television, winds to a full stop today.
The last episode of the saga of a father bringing up seven daughters single handedly will be telecast today. Directed by Sanjiv Bhattacharya and later by his wife, Sapna, Amanat that began in 1997, was able to hook viewers with its sentimental storyline of a close knit family that faces a stream of trials and tribulations. It was Amanat which, rival Star admitted much later, that had a relatable backdrop and an identifiable narrative, was socially correct and portrayed some cherished emotions – elements that that were later incorporated into the making of successes like Kyunkii and Kahaani.
Amanat held its own in subsequent years on prime time, at one time notching TRPs as high as 19, says Bhattacharya. Post 2000, however, the weekly serial was, along with the other popular Zee serial Koshish, a victim of the Kaun Banega Crorepati onslaught. Although Bhatttacharya says she intended to wind up the serial last year itself, Amanat continued at the channel’s behest.
In May 2002, the channel again asked Bhattacharya to fast forward the storyline 20 years, in a bid to woo back a declining viewership. Finally, a decision was taken to end the serial gracefully in the first week of September. The medium budget serial was able to establish a rapport with viewers, says Bhattacharya, as it portrayed every day Indian life and Indian culture in a way other serials did not.
Amanat in fact proved to be a stepping-stone for Gracy Singh, one of the sisters in Amanat, who later bagged the lead role in Aamir Khan’s Lagaan.
News Broadcasting
Zee Business corners 74.2 per cent market share on Budget Day, BARC data shows
Channel extends lead as investors tune in for policy decoding and markets
MUMBAI: Zee Business tightened its grip on India’s business news audience on Union Budget Day, commanding a 74.2 per cent market share during peak coverage hours, according to data from Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC).
The numbers, tracked between 0800 and 1000 hrs in north India among NCCS ABC males aged 22 and above, underscore the channel’s dominance as investors and traders tuned in for real-time policy decoding and market reaction. The share was calculated across two business news channels.
Industry executives say the spike mirrors an earnings-call-style verdict from viewers: speed, clarity and conviction won the day. Zee Business has retained its leadership beyond Budget Day, topping the charts on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, signalling sustained audience loyalty rather than a one-off surge.
The ratings momentum carried into Budget Samvad 2026, the channel’s flagship post-Budget discussion, broadcast live from the Bombay Stock Exchange. The session was moderated by Zee Business managing editor Anil Singhvi, and featured market veteran Ramesh Damani, among other participants.
Viewers were drawn to wall-to-wall Budget analysis, sharp market calls and plain-English interpretation of policy measures: an approach that continues to differentiate the channel in a crowded news market.
“The 74.2 per cent share reflects viewer trust in timely and credible market insight,” Singhvi said, adding that the post-Budget forum was designed to move beyond headlines and unpack the implications for investors and the broader economy.
