News Broadcasting
News consumption, ad volumes on a high in the first half of 2020: BARC+Nielsen
NEW DELHI: As India enters in unlock 2.0, news channels look at the brighter side, both in the terms of viewership and advertisements, reveals the tenth edition of BARC+Nielsen weekly report on media consumption habits in the covid period.
News viewership in the first half of 2020 stands 3 per cent above that in the first half of 2019, taking 12 per cent of the overall media consumption pie, operating at 43 per cent higher viewership than the previous year. Primetime viewership is even higher at 48 per cent more. Business news viewership in the first half of 2020 is 44 per cent higher than the previous year, reveals the data.
For the covid period, news consumption has started stabilising at 11 per cent of the overall TV viewership in week 26’20 (starting 27 June).
The viewing impressions for Hindi News are also operating at a much higher level compared to pre-covid period (11 Jan – 31 Jan), at 71 per cent more. The number is 45 per cent more for English news, 19 per cent more for Hindi Regional News, and 13 per cent more for English Business News.
The viewing impressions for Southern India are even higher across genre, especially news, with Tamil News channels recording 177 per cent higher viewing impressions than pre-covid period, Malayalam channels at 96 per cent higher, Kannada channels at 93 per cent higher, and Telugu channels at 40 per cent higher.
Ad volumes are also increasing on news genre, clocking 39 million in June 2020, higher than 35 million during the same period last year. However, the overall ad volumes in the first half of 2020 (225 million) are lower than that in the same period the previous year (259 million). Albeit, for some of the languages, the numbers are higher than that of the previous year.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
