News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 stays on top, leaves rivals in the ratings dust
MUMBAI: Less talk, more traction CNN-News18 proves that in the world of English news, clarity (and clever design) really is king. According to the latest BARC data (Week 27, 2025), CNN-News18 has tightened its grip on the No. 1 spot in India’s English news genre, clocking a market share of 33.7 per cent, far ahead of NDTV 24×7 at 21.2 per cent and Times Now at 19.8 per cent. That’s a 70 per cent lead over Times Now and 59 per cent over NDTV, putting the channel miles ahead in the TRP tug-of-war.
CNN-News18’s dominance isn’t just a flash in the pan, it’s been India’s top English news channel for over three years. And it’s not resting on those laurels. From investing in cutting-edge tech to doubling down on editorial depth, the network is clearly playing the long game.
The channel recently rolled out a slick redesign rooted in its ‘One Screen, One Form, One Stream’ philosophy, bringing together TV and digital for a seamless experience. The emphasis? Fewer words, more visuals and sharper storytelling.
Leading the charge are newsroom heavyweights like Zakka Jacob, Anand Narasimhan, Rahul Shivshankar, and Shivani Gupta, supported by a nationwide reporter network that ensures election coverage stays comprehensive and cutting-edge.
CNN-News18 has also found its visual voice deploying snappy graphics and easy-to-digest explainers that make complex trends and data relatable to a diverse audience. It’s serious journalism with a stylish twist.
In a genre where attention spans are fleeting, CNN-News18 seems to have figured out how to keep viewers hooked by giving them just the right mix of depth, design, and digital smarts.
News Broadcasting
Rajesh Sundaram joins NDTV Profit as senior editor, assignment
The 32-year newsroom veteran has launched channels on three continents and covered everything from 9/11 to South African television
MUMBAI: NDTV Profit has bolstered its newsroom with a hire who has done rather more than most. Rajesh Sundaram, a journalist with over three decades of editorial, managerial and consultative experience across India and international markets, joins as senior editor, assignment, tasked with sharpening the network’s newsgathering and real-time response.
Sundaram’s career reads like a tour of Indian media’s most formative moments. He began at Businessworld in 1994, moved to Zee News as bureau chief across Mumbai and Chennai, then joined NDTV in 2002 as part of its political bureau during a particularly febrile period in Indian politics. A stint as India correspondent for Al Jazeera International followed, where he covered key geopolitical developments and got his first serious taste of the global newsroom.
What sets Sundaram apart, however, is his serial channel-launching habit. At NewsX, he helped get the operation off the ground. At Headlines Today, part of the India Today Group, he served as editor. At News Nation, he helped launch the Hindi news channel and its digital ecosystem. He then crossed continents to lead the launch of ANN7 in South Africa as editor-in-chief, overseeing both television and digital. Back in India, he launched Tamil news channels News7 Tamil and Cauvery News, and later served as principal consultant for the launch of Marathi channel Lokshahi. Most recently, he helped build and lead the Press Trust of India’s video service and content studio, before stints consulting for Business Today and The Himalayan Times.
Rahul Kanwal, chief executive and editor-in-chief of NDTV, left little doubt about what Sundaram is expected to deliver. “The assignment desk is where a newsroom’s intent becomes action,” he said. “Rajesh brings a rare combination of field experience and leadership in building news operations at scale.”
Sundaram has reported from across India and the world, covering elections, civil conflicts, the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the 2008 US presidential election.
At NDTV Profit, he will lead the assignment desk, driving editorial coordination and real-time response across markets and breaking developments. For a business news network sharpening its focus on speed and multi-platform delivery, it has hired a man who has built newsrooms from scratch on three continents. The assignment desk is in good hands.
