News Broadcasting
Maharashtra political dance pips English News ratings 24 per cent in week 48
BANGALORE: The political dance, the shenanigans by various political parties for premiership in Maharashtra politics provided News channels with more eyeballs in week 48 of 2019 (Saturday, 23 November 2019 to Friday, 29 November 2019, week or period under review) as compared to the previous week according to Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) weekly data.
BARC data for the Top 5 English News channels for the period under review saw the combined ratings of the top 5 channels from the genre spike up to 2.211 million weekly impressions from 1.780 million weekly impressions during the previous week.
While the channels in the lists for both weeks were the same, there was some tweaking in the ranks – Public broadcaster Doordarshan’s English News channel slipped to fifth rank in week 48 from third rank in week 47 of 2019. The India Today group’s India Today Television climbed up a place from fourth rank to replace DD India, while Network18’s CNN News 18 also climbed up a place to fourth rank in week 48 of 2019.
As mentioned by us earlier, the combined ratings of the Top 5 English News channels had breached a new nadir during week 47 of 2019 to reach an all-time low since BARC recommenced publication of viewership data in the public domain in week 13 of 2019. For the optimist, viewership of the English News genre could only go up from that low of week 47 of 2019.
Please refer to the figures below:
Top 5 English News channels in week 48 of 2019
The Arnab Goswami led Republic TV continued its dominance of the English News genre at first rank in week 48 of 2019 with an increase in weekly viewership of 35 percent or 0.197 million weekly impressions to reach 0.755 million weekly impressions from the 0.588 million weekly impressions it had garnered in the previous week.
Times Now continued at second place with a 35 percent or 0.146 million weekly impressions increase in week 48 of 2019 to reach 0.561 million weekly impressions from 0.415 million weekly impressions in week 47.
India Today Television climbed up a place to fourth rank with an increase of 36 percent or 0.102 million weekly impressions in week 48 of 2019 to reach 0.383 million weekly impressions from fourth rank and 0.281 million weekly impressions in the previous week.
CNN News18 also climbed up a place to fourth rank with an increase of 0.05 million weekly impressions in week 48 of 2019 to reach 0.268 million weekly impressions from fifth rank and 0.218 million weekly impressions in week 47.
DD India slipped two places to fifth rank in week 48 of 2019 with a decline of 0.064 million weekly impressions to reach 0.244 million weekly impressions from third rank and 0.308 million weekly impressions in the previous week.
Please refer to the figure below:
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
