News Broadcasting
News channels rake in advertising on budget day
BENGALURU: Normally, the days leading up to, during and following the state and national elections and election result day are when news channels rake in the moolah. Another important day for news channels for attracting advertisers is the day the national budget is announced. This budget day was no different – advertisers flocked news channels. Here is a list of top five advertisers and brands on news channels on 1 February 2018 according to Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC):
Channels: CNBC Awaaz; CNBC Bazar; CNBC TV 18; CNBC TV 18 Prime HD; Zee Business; ET Now; BTVI
Channels: Aaj Tak; Zee News; India TV; News18 India; India News; News Nation; News 24; Zee Hindustan; Tez
Channels: Republic TV; Times Now; Times Now HD; India Today Television; CNN News18; NDTV 24×7; Mirror Now; News X; NewsX HD
As is obvious from the above charts, the top five advertisers and brands were across verticals – be it infrastructure, finance, insurance, home décor, lighting, pharmaceutical, etc. Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved was the biggest advertiser among the top five lists and that too across just one genre of news – Hindi business news.
A number of these players are normally not present in BARC’s weekly lists of top 10 advertisers and bands in terms of insertions. Here are BARC’s lists of the top 10 advertisers and brands in week 5 of 2017 (Saturday, 27 January 2018 to Friday, 2 February 2018).
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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.
