News Broadcasting
iTV Network gives additional charge to Varun Kohli, strengthens senior management team
MUMBAI: iTV Network on Friday announced strengthening its senior management team with CEO Varun Kohli being handed additional responsibility for print companies.
Kohli is currently handling India News, NewsX, digital assets and is providing strategic direction, leading teams and strengthening revenues for the organisations. With a professional experience spanning over 25 years, he is a seasoned sales specialist and is credited with creating sustainable business development and management strategies that have increased top and bottom lines and enhanced efficiency in organisations.
In addition to his existing role, he will be handling The Sunday Guardian and Aaj Samaj, fastest growing and most selling daily newspaper in north India.
In this endeavor, he will be supported by Rakesh Gopal, National Sales Head – Regional Channels. Gopal is a seasoned media professional with rich experience in media sales. He is presently consolidating the company’s regional channels and now he will be supporting Mr. Kohli in the sales function of the print companies for the efficient growth of the network.
Speaking on the new roles and responsibilities, Kartikeya Sharma, Founder and Promoter of iTV Network, said, “We are excited to have Mr. Varun Kohli and Mr. Rakesh Gopal holding their additional responsibilities, each brings extensive and highly relevant industry experience to the table. We are looking forward to leveraging their knowledge and leadership in this expanded role.”
Kohli on his new role said “it is an opportunity than a challenge and I look forward to achieve growth oriented results. Our print assets, The Sunday Guardian and Aaj Samaj delivers credible, innovative and informative content for our readers.”
Prior to joining iTV network, Varun was the head of sales for IBN7. His distinguished career includes leadership stints at Amar Ujala, Bennett, Coleman & Company Ltd., Deccan Chronicle, Dainik Bhaskar, Hindustan times and Indian express.
Varun is a management graduate from SIMS, Ghaziabad and post graduate from YMCA besides being a certified coach from Results Coaching Systems.
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.
