News Broadcasting
Max manages decent ratings from U-19 cricket cup
MUMBAI: What had looked like a dead duck property —Sony Television’s broadcast rights for the recently concluded Under 19 World Cup in Dhaka, Bangladesh — has thrown up surprisingly good ratings for movies and events channel Max.
Expectedly, it was the semi-finals where India and Pakistan squared off that got people watching. The game, which aired on Sunday, 29 February, garnered TVRs of 2.13 (C&S TV Households, all-India All 4+) for the crucial second innings of the day-night match. The first innings also delivered a respectable 1.62 TVR.
Interestingly, even Sony did not expect the ratings to be so good. The Under-19 World Cup was seen to be a package still picking up and did not really have much of a viewership. The live feed on Set Max is believed to have been the critical success factor of this event. Also, a decent amount of promotional activities was lined up considering the fact, that the return the match was going to yield was ambiguous.
Max has been trying to build itself as a cricket platform apart from movies, and has bagged the Under 19 World Cup 2002 – 2007 package. Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Max executive vice president Rajat Jain says, “The live factor makes all the difference, and we are the first channel to do so. Another factor lending itself is the current cricket fever with India’s tour of Pakistan which roped in more viewers. Lastly, the promotion campaign, which showcased the future faces of cricketers of India also lent to the ratings.”
Max used the Under 19 series to lure more viewers for their channel. This strategy definitely seems to have worked. The previous edition of the U-19 World Cup, which also aired on Max, got a negligible response – just an average of 0.5 TVRs.
The immediate returns that the channel got during the tournament was that the overall reach of Max went up to 61 GRPs from 53 GRPs before it. The gains made during the event has also been retained somewhat with the GRPs currently at 56. What this means is that some percentage of the new audience has been retained, according to the channel.
Across the country it was the metros and the A grade towns and the 1 million+ markets that got the series the most eyeballs. The South was a significant contributor after Kolkata, viewers ranging below the age group of 24 yrs for the day matches and below 34 years for the day and night matches.
The presenting sponsors for the series were Hero Honda and Samsung and the associate sponsors being Videocon and Siyaram.
The next big bet on Max’s platter is its big event for 2004, the ICC Champions Trophy 2004 in September in England.
Building on the U-19 ratings success, says Jain, “Now that people have understood that it delivers, developing the game and the ratings will not be such a task next time round.”
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
