News Broadcasting
India Today Group’s ‘AI Sana’ wins INMA Global Media Awards 2024
Mumbai: India Today Group’s AI anchor Sana, clinched not one but two prestigious awards, reaffirming groundbreaking contributions to the realm of journalism and artificial intelligence, at the International News Media Association Global Media Awards held in London. Sana’s innovative approach to delivering news content has captivated audiences worldwide, revolutionising the way information is disseminated and consumed.
In a testament to the genre defining initiative of India Today Group, AI Anchor Sana secured the coveted first place in the category of ‘Best Use of AI in Customer-Facing Products’ for the entry ‘Human Collaborative AI Anchors: AI-Led Newsroom Transformation’. This recognition underscores Sana’s pivotal role in spearheading a paradigm shift in newsroom dynamics, seamlessly blending human expertise with AI innovation to deliver unparalleled news experiences.
Furthermore, the pioneering initiative was also adjudged ‘Best in South Asia for AI-Led Newsroom Transformation’. This accolade not only celebrates the collaborative efforts of Sana and the India Today Group but also recognizes their instrumental role in driving innovation and excellence within the media landscape of the region.
Sana’s success at the International News Media Association’s 2024 Global Media Awards serves as a testament to the transformative power of AI in shaping the future of journalism, embodying the imminent of news broadcasting. Her ability to engage audiences with accuracy, empathy, and credibility epitomizes the synergy between human ingenuity and technological advancement, heralding a new era of storytelling and information dissemination.
As the India Today Group celebrates Sana’s remarkable achievements, it extends gratitude to the INMA World Media Congress for recognizing her outstanding contributions and to the group’s dedicated team whose unwavering commitment continues to propel us toward new horizons in media excellence.
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: 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.
