News Broadcasting
News18 India & CNN-News18 continue dominance on viewership charts
Mumbai: Once again, Network18 won double gold as both its Hindi and English news channels decisively defeated rivals to maintain their top positions in the most recent audience ratings table.
CNN-News18 defeated Republic TV, Times Now, Mirror Now, and India Today Television in the English general news segment while News18 India defeated Aaj Tak, India TV, TV9 Bharatvarsh, and Republic Bharat in the Hindi general news segment.
According to data issued by the Broadcast Audience Research Council, News18 India held a 15.9 per cent relative market share during the first week of the New Year and a 15.8 per cent share during the following week ( Barc). (Market share per cent, 24 hours, HSM, TG: 15+, Wk 50’22-Wk 02’23, All days).
According to data, News18 India now holds 20 per cent higher market share than Aaj Tak, which is now in second place but only managed to gain 13.2 per cent relative market share in the past two weeks.
In the English general news section, CNN-News18 increased its relative market share by 1.8 per cent, maintaining first place with 33.0 per cent in the first week and 34.7 per cent in the second week, easily defeating Republic TV, which lagged behind with 29.9 per cent and 27.8 per cent. Market share percentage, 24 hours, TG: 15+ AB, India, Wk 50’22-Wk 02’23, All days.
In terms of market share, CNN-News18 has already surpassed Times Now, which is currently third, by a staggering 80 per cent.
Additionally, News18 India continued to outperform Aaj Tak in the Prime Time (6pm to 12 am) and 9pm timeslots, capturing 26 per cent and 14 per cent greater market share, respectively.
While Times Now lost market share to CNN-News18 by 61 per cent in the Prime Time Core TG (6pm to 11 pm ) time period, CNN-News18 was far ahead.
Since Barc started collecting viewership statistics again in March 2020, News18 India and CNN-News18 have both been market leaders. Regional news networks owned by Network18 Group are still the best in their fields.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 rolls out Battle for the States ahead of key polls
Multi-format election coverage tracks voter mood across five battleground states
NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has launched a special election programming initiative titled Battle for the States, as India gears up for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Built around the theme ‘Road to Power’, the multi-format coverage aims to follow the entire electoral journey, from campaigning and polling to results and government formation. The network is leaning into on-ground reportage and data-backed storytelling to decode voter sentiment across regions where local issues often shape the narrative.
The programming line-up includes ‘Vote Tracker’, a three-part series developed in collaboration with survey agency Vote Vibe. The show blends survey insights with expert commentary and field reporting, using augmented reality graphics to present complex electoral data such as vote share, seat projections and leadership preferences in a more accessible format. It will air every Monday evening until April 6.
Adding a cultural lens to political reporting is ‘So Saree!’, a ground-driven segment where women anchors travel across constituencies dressed in traditional handwoven sarees from each state. The format uses attire as a storytelling device, highlighting regional identity while capturing grassroots voices.
Meanwhile, ‘Unfiltered Kaapi’ and ‘Chai-Niti’ bring a more conversational tone, drawing inspiration from everyday political discussions in tea stalls and coffee corners. These segments aim to break down key issues through candid, fast-paced exchanges between anchors and reporters, tailored to regional sensibilities.
For viewers seeking deeper insights, the weekend docuseries ‘Reporters Project’ takes a longer view, with correspondents travelling across constituencies to map voter concerns and political shifts on the ground.
“Elections are about people, their aspirations, identities and the issues that matter to them, and every state tells a different story,” said CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar. He added that the initiative focuses on understanding “the sentiment on the ground and what’s driving voter choices”.
Echoing the emphasis on credibility, Network18 CEO – English and business news Smriti Mehra said the network aims to combine on-ground reporting with data-led insights to deliver clear and timely coverage as the elections unfold.
With a mix of data, culture and grassroots reporting, CNN-News18 is positioning Battle for the States as a comprehensive window into one of India’s most closely watched electoral cycles, where every vote carries a story waiting to be told.
