News Broadcasting
IBF Press Release
The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) members met in New Delhi today to discuss the implication of the proposed Conditional Access Systems (CAS).
Any propsoal that addresses the two fundamental issues of transparency and breaking up of the existing ground monopolies of the cable TV operators that face the industry is welcomed by the IBF. The reality is that today only 20 per cent of the ground revenue collected from the consumers accross the country comes back to the broadcasters.
The IBF members are of the view that there should be a planned and phased transition to enable the Indian consumers to comprahensively benefit from switching over to the Conditional Acceas Systems. To make CAS a realIty in the current form, the IBF believes that there are many issues concerning technology, funding, avaIlabilIty of set top boxes, regulation and non- discriminatory implementation and there is a need for a detailed analysis.
Further all the issues related with Implementation of CAS need to be looked at and addressed in totality. An amendment to the Cable TV Regulation Act is unlikely to resolve the fundamental issues that face the industry. It may in fact result in exploitation of customers in terms of prices of the services charged by the cable TV operators due to monopolies on ground.
Members of the Industry, Broadcasters, Vendors, Cable operators and the regulators need to work together to arrive at the correct CAS model. In the interim, the bradcasters have decided to come together and focus on the immediate problem of under declaration and demand 100% transparency from the cable TV operators.
The IBF also suggests that the existing parliamentary Select Committee headed by Parliamentarian Somnath Chatterjee looking into the Convergence Bill is ideally positioned to examine all the matters in totality so that the consumer gets the true benefit of the channels and the value added services.
News Broadcasting
Zee Business corners 74.2 per cent market share on Budget Day, BARC data shows
Channel extends lead as investors tune in for policy decoding and markets
MUMBAI: Zee Business tightened its grip on India’s business news audience on Union Budget Day, commanding a 74.2 per cent market share during peak coverage hours, according to data from Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC).
The numbers, tracked between 0800 and 1000 hrs in north India among NCCS ABC males aged 22 and above, underscore the channel’s dominance as investors and traders tuned in for real-time policy decoding and market reaction. The share was calculated across two business news channels.
Industry executives say the spike mirrors an earnings-call-style verdict from viewers: speed, clarity and conviction won the day. Zee Business has retained its leadership beyond Budget Day, topping the charts on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, signalling sustained audience loyalty rather than a one-off surge.
The ratings momentum carried into Budget Samvad 2026, the channel’s flagship post-Budget discussion, broadcast live from the Bombay Stock Exchange. The session was moderated by Zee Business managing editor Anil Singhvi, and featured market veteran Ramesh Damani, among other participants.
Viewers were drawn to wall-to-wall Budget analysis, sharp market calls and plain-English interpretation of policy measures: an approach that continues to differentiate the channel in a crowded news market.
“The 74.2 per cent share reflects viewer trust in timely and credible market insight,” Singhvi said, adding that the post-Budget forum was designed to move beyond headlines and unpack the implications for investors and the broader economy.
