News Broadcasting
MIB orders blocking of Punjab Politics TV’s digital media resources
Mumbai: The ministry of information & broadcasting (MIB) has ordered blocking of apps, website, and social media accounts of foreign-based Punjab Politics TV, having close links with Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), an organisation that has been declared unlawful under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
Relying on intelligence inputs that the channel was attempting to use online media to disturb public order during the ongoing state assembly elections, the ministry used emergency powers under the IT Rules on 18 February to block the digital media resources of Punjab Politics TV.
“The contents of the blocked apps, website, and social media accounts had the potential to incite communal disharmony and separatism; and were found to be detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, and public order. It was also observed that the launch of new apps and social media accounts was timed to gain traction during the ongoing elections,” the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
The government of India took the decision in the interest of securing the overall information environment in India and thwarting any actions having the potential to undermine the country’s sovereignty and integrity, it added.
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.
