News Broadcasting
BBC World most trusted channel: IATS survey
MUMBAI: BBC World has been rated as the most trusted international news channel, according to International Air Travellers Survey (IATS), Global 2005.
BBC won with 46 per cent among those surveyed voting for it, ahead of TV5 (, CNBC, Bloomberg and CNN.
The survey was conducted across 25 major airports, investigating international travellers’ consumption of global television channels and publications.
When asked about their most recent television viewing, 9.8 per cent of international travellers surveyed had watched BBC World the previous day, 18.3 per cent in the last week and 25.8 per cent in the last month. As evidence of BBC World’s strength over non-general news, daily audience figures exceed CNBC’s weekly viewership of 6.4 per cent, as well as Bloomberg’s monthly audience of 4.4 per cent.
The gap between CNN and BBC World’s reach has reduced considerably in recent years, according to a BBC World release. In 2002, BBC World’s daily reach was approximately half of CNN. The latest results show BBC World’s reach at 9.8 per cent, dramatically closing the gap on CNN’s 12 per cent, an index of 82 per cent.
In terms of audience profile, BBC World’s daily audience is even greater among those flying first or the affluent business class (13 per cent), among frequent flyers (6+ business trips 14 per cent), high earners ($100k+ API 15 per cent), senior government officials (16 per cent), and senior executives in large firms (18 per cent).
The survey results are particularly encouraging coming at a time when the channel has put a renewed focus on live news content and launched its biggest ever brand campaign Putting News First.
BBC World’s daily audience surpasses that for any other channel surveyed amongst residents of Central Europe, the Indian Sub-Continent, Australasia/ Pacific, Africa, Canada, Hong Kong, the UK and Ireland, Sweden, and many other countries, including the 100 respondents from Iraq.
The media release also adds that in terms of media consumption, news remains the most popular genre amongst travellers, with news television viewership consistently higher than news readership across all regions. 17 per cent of travellers interviewed said that they had watched either BBC World or CNN the day before, compared to only 13 per cent who said they had read either Financial Times, International Herald Tribune, USA Today or the Wall Street Journal the day before or Time, Newsweek, Business Week and The Economist in the past week.
Commenting on the research findings BBC World director of airtime sales Jonathan Howlett said, “The close affinity between international travellers – both leisure and business – and global international news channels has never been demonstrated so clearly, with such a wide audience gap between international news and all other programming genres. Also consistency – viewers in all regions trust BBC World more than its leading competitor – a vital quality among those who will be away from home. It is also interesting to note the lack of connection between travel and either documentary or business channels.”
The study measures the viewership of international channels and readership of international publications among international air travelers.
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.
