News Broadcasting
‘Jurassic Park’ – monster movie rakes in mammoth ratings
Jurassic Park, the 1994 record busting Spielberg epic that aired on Star Movies in the last week of March, has notched ratings that would make a Kyunkii green with envy.
According to figures put out by AC Nielsen’s TAM ratings, a small city like Cochin has garnered TVRs of 8.18 ( C&S 15-44 yrs), beating Chennai (6.03), Bangalore (3.88), Delhi (2.75) and Mumbai (3.76).
The figures have beaten the record set by Mummy, that aired on HBO in January this year. Mummy had drawn a TVR of 2.6 (Intam) and 2.88 (TAM). The film had made it to the top 100 shows of the week, setting a record of sorts. With a TVR of 2.98 according to Intam, Jurassic Park has managed to sneak ahead. The data collected is for all C&S homes in all 24 panels. The six metros and nine markets monitored by TAM have thrown up TVRs of over 3.4 for the C&S 4+ category.
It still rules viewers’ imagination – Jurassic Park continues to appeal to audiences across the country
Figures put out by Intam are equally gushy. According to the agency, Chennai drew the highest viewership, with TVRs of 6.17 (TG C&S 4+), while Mumbai managed TVRs of 4.57. Bangalore with 4.51 and Delhi with 4.52 followed. One million plus towns in Maharashtra too had a combined TVR of 4.35 while those in Kerala had a figure of 5.63. Even small towns in Andhra Pradesh (1,00,000 to 5,00,000 population) have notched up TVRs of 0.59, the lowest managed by the movie.
Mummy was touted as HBO’s first big movie of the year and was surrounded by a lot of on and off air promotional activity. Star too had spared no efforts in promoting the telecast of Jurassic Park, which had a successful run in theatres nearly eight years ago. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon that premiered on AXN in December 2001 earned a rating of 1.2 among Indian cable AB viewers in the top five metros, making it the top programme on international channels between 1 and 29 December, according to AXN Asia MD Todd Miller. None of these movies has however been able to break Titanic’s record score of 8.2 (TAM data for nine main cities 4+) when the movie premiered on Star Movies on 31 December 1999.
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
