News Broadcasting
Count on it News18 India tops digital charts on Bihar result day
MUMBAI: If election day had a scoreboard, News18 India didn’t just take the lead, it raced so far ahead that the competition was barely in the frame. As Bihar’s political drama unfolded on 14 November, viewers across the country flocked to the channel’s live coverage, catapulting it to the top of the digital news charts with staggering numbers.
According to full-day Playboard data, News18 India registered a colossal 172 million views, comfortably outpacing NDTV India at 142 million and leaving Aaj Tak trailing miles behind with just 36 million. At a time when the nation was glued to screens for every twist in Bihar’s mandate, the numbers tell a simple, emphatic story: audiences counted on News18 India.
The Network had clearly prepared for a long, high-octane day. To deliver wall-to-wall real-time updates, News18 mounted a massive editorial and field operation. The channel rolled out mega programming straight from its Control Room, while its formidable ground network covered 46 counting centres across 38 districts, capturing everything from voter anxieties to party-office chaos to reactions from political heavyweights.
On-air, a powerhouse anchor lineup Kishore Ajwani, Amish Devgan, Rubika Liyaquat, Prateek Trivedi, Aman Chopra, and Pankaj Bhargava helmed the coverage. Behind them stood the might of more than 150 reporters and video journalists, ensuring viewers didn’t miss a single constituency trend, lead change, or political tremor.
In addition, the Network created one of the country’s biggest election-day data engines, a Live Results Hub staffed by over 50 editorial personnel, dedicated to synthesising ground reports, counting-centre updates, and constituency insights. The hub’s scale allowed News18 to publish verified trends faster and more consistently than many of its competitors.
This editorial muscle found an eager audience. By Friday morning, as the Bihar contest tightened and the national interest sharpened, News18 India’s digital streams soared. Across News18 India, News18 Bihar & Jharkhand, and News18 MP & Chhattisgarh, the Network crossed the seven-figure mark in concurrent viewers on Youtube, with the rush of real-time engagement reflecting the public’s growing hunger for credible, rapid updates.
The fresh Playboard figures only reinforce what the live viewership made clear: when the stakes are high and the nation wants clarity, News18 India is the platform it turns to. With a blend of speed, scale, and deep on-ground access, the channel once again underscored its position as the country’s dominant digital news destination on one of the year’s most intensely watched political days.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
