News Broadcasting
i-Pop propels AXN’s move from TV to mobile
MUMBAI: Asian mobile media services firm i-Pop will kick off the inauguration of action adventure network AXN Asia’s mobile interactive WAP site wap.axn-asia.com.
The mobile launch is in conjunction with the debut of AXN’s biggest original production in Asia – The Amazing Race Asia between 9-14 November. The series will be broadcast across Asia through AXN’s four programming feeds.
i-Pop has been appointed to develop and manage an interactive, user-friendly mobile Wap site that will further bridge AXN’s on-air offerings with its viewers. The mobile platform will immerse viewers through value-added interactivity of their award-winning series and original productions, allowing them to have a seamless, well-rounded, enriching entertainment experience that complements their TV viewing.
i-Ppop says that it will play a key role in facilitating the network’s tri-media approach of on-air, online and mobile platforms in promoting the key properties of AXN. The SMS entry mechanism enables content downloads and on-air contests to be accessed via the ease of a mobile phone. The aim is to optimise viewer participation and create greater synergies in the branding prowess of AXN as well as its advertisers, through integrated campaigns that will enhance viewer experience.
Jointly working with telecommunication and cable operators in the various regions – Starhub (Singapore), Astro (Malaysia), Smart (Philippines) and other major operators in Hong Kong, i-Pop spearheaded the Phase One launch of AXN Mobile that will allow viewers to download funky ringtones and wallpapers at AXN mobile storefront.
Fans of the The Amazing Race Asia can also subscribe to a video streaming service for interviews and clips from the latest episodes. Viewers can also expect MMS content, mobile gaming and other services to be made available in more countries in the coming months.
iPop executive VP Colin Miles says, “i-Pop has had four years of front line experience working strategically with the topmost media brands in Asia to effectively enable mobile integration across all their key touch points. We are delighted to support AXN’s suitably adventurous approach, grasping the challenge and setting a strong direction to utilise mobile in a truly connected way for their viewers across the region. i-Pop is proud to be able to work with this leading network in delivering dynamic rich media content to its mobile viewers”.
Mobile phone content, such as music, gaming and video, is forecast to reach $43 billion in sales worldwide by 2010, according to a report by research firm iSuppli Corp. Media organisations are now seeing the significant value and a new source of revenue in applying mobile media services to their brand output and viewer relationships. Even the most casual viewer cannot fail to see SMS interactions and mobile contest being widely propagated across both terrestrial TV stations and cable networks.
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.
