News Broadcasting
NBF writes to I&B minister Anurag Thakur regarding landing page issue
Mumbai: The News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) has written a letter to the union minister of information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur on the issue of landing pages. The landing page is the first channel that the viewer sees when anyone turns on the set-top box.
The letter is signed by NBF founding president Arnab Goswami and secretary-general Jai Krishna.
NBF has asked the I&B ministry to address the issue of the landing page being measured by the viewership rating agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc) as ‘true viewership’, thereby skewing the final data.
In its letter, NBF argues that the use of landing pages to alter viewership data is a ‘restrictive trade practice’ leading the way for monopolies to be formed in the news media industry.
Read Also: Why Barc’s landing page viewership measurement is worrying TV9’s Barun Das
It claims, “The brazen use of landing pages, bought at a price, to artificially amplify viewership data of certain channels gives channels with deep pockets an anti-competitive advantage. It is shocking that some news channels today get 84 per cent of their viewership from just two states in India, because of landing pages.”
The letter puts the onus of resolving the landing page issue on Barc stating that the TV audience measurement firm can exclude landing page data from viewership estimates.
The letter further reads, “In the past, Barc had included unfiltered outliers data from the landing page for its rating data, but had later decided to exclude it from viewership. Therefore, it is clear that Barc has both the ability and the precedent of filtering out landing page data while calculating viewership, but is still not doing so. In fact, in the past, Barc had itself termed the use of landing pages as a “false exaggeration of viewership.”
The letter appeals to the I&B minister to intervene in the matter.“The NBF is fully committed to working with the Ministry and all stakeholders across the board to address the issue collectively and reach a solution,” the letter concludes.
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.
