News Broadcasting
Hallmark US gets cult television series M*A*S*H
Hallmark Channel US has announced that one of television’s most recognisable shows “M*A*S*H” – will helicopter on to the channel in September 2003. The series will be cable exclusive to Hallmark Channel.
All 255 episodes of the sitcom were acquired under the deal with Twentieth Television. Each of the 255 episodes has been digitally remastered, an official release informs. The deal also includes the two-and-a-half hour M*A*S*H finale, which is still the most watched telecast in television history.
Executive V-P, programming, David Kenin said: ” This is a series that will continue to drive the growth of Hallmark Channel and can be utilised in multiple dayparts. During its 11-year run, ‘M*A*S*H’ aired in six different time periods on five different nights, and left the network ranked as the No. 1 sitcom on television. “
For nine of its 11 seasons on broadcast television M*A*S*H was a top five sitcom. It has been nominated for or won 23 Emmy Awards, 16 Golden Globe Awards, four Humanitas Prizes and six People’s Choice Awards the release states.
M*A*S*H influenced by the Robert Altman film was produced and distributed by Fox from its premiere on 17 September 1972 to its finale on 28 February 1983 the release states. Cast Members include Alan Alda, McLean Stevenson, Wayne Rogers Harry Morgan. Guest appearances during the 11-year run of “M*A*S*H include Richard Gere, Brian Dennehy and the Oscar winning director of ‘A Beautiful Mind’ Ron Howard.
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:Â 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.
