News Broadcasting
News18 India trumps Aaj Tak again, scores hat-trick as Hindi news leader on TV and Youtube
MUMBAI: In a media landscape where loyalties shift as fast as breaking headlines, News18 India has held its ground with the firmness of an anchor desk in a newsroom earthquake. While rivals fought for airwaves and eyeballs, the channel calmly claimed its crown—again. For the third consecutive year, News18 India has retained its title as the undisputed champion of the Hindi news genre, outpacing legacy player Aaj Tak both on television and in the digital trenches.
As per BARC data (Week 23’22 – 22’25, 24 Hrs, All Days | HSM | NCCS All 15+), News18 India clocked a formidable 7.89 crore AMA’000s. In contrast, Aaj Tak lagged behind with 7.36 crore AMA’000s, marking yet another year where the latter failed to catch up.
In a world where TRPs can turn erratic, these numbers scream consistency—and point to a widening gap in viewer allegiance.
The digital showdown wasn’t any different. On Youtube, News18 India has not just edged ahead—it has sprinted past. As of May 2025, the channel amassed 3.4 billion views, while Aaj Tak struggled with 1.04 billion, according to Playboard data. That’s more than a three x lead—enough to make any digital head turn.
News18 India retained its top position in the Hindi news genre for three consecutive years while its competitor, Aaj Tak, struggles to keep pace. With its commitment to delivering crisp, accurate, and credible journalism, News18 India continues to win the trust and loyalty of millions across the nation.
At the heart of this success is a battalion of familiar faces and trusted voices. Anchors like Kishore Ajwani, Amish Devgan, Rubika Liyaquat, Prateek Trivedi, and Aman Chopra bring the noise—and the nuance—day after day. Their programming style blends punch with perspective, helping the channel hold sway over a viewership that’s both vast and vocal.
Backed by a robust reporting network, News18 India maintains coverage that cuts across regions and realities. Whether it’s national elections or local skirmishes, the channel’s ground game has helped shape its top-tier status.
News Broadcasting
Rajesh Sundaram joins NDTV Profit as senior editor, assignment
The 32-year newsroom veteran has launched channels on three continents and covered everything from 9/11 to South African television
MUMBAI: NDTV Profit has bolstered its newsroom with a hire who has done rather more than most. Rajesh Sundaram, a journalist with over three decades of editorial, managerial and consultative experience across India and international markets, joins as senior editor, assignment, tasked with sharpening the network’s newsgathering and real-time response.
Sundaram’s career reads like a tour of Indian media’s most formative moments. He began at Businessworld in 1994, moved to Zee News as bureau chief across Mumbai and Chennai, then joined NDTV in 2002 as part of its political bureau during a particularly febrile period in Indian politics. A stint as India correspondent for Al Jazeera International followed, where he covered key geopolitical developments and got his first serious taste of the global newsroom.
What sets Sundaram apart, however, is his serial channel-launching habit. At NewsX, he helped get the operation off the ground. At Headlines Today, part of the India Today Group, he served as editor. At News Nation, he helped launch the Hindi news channel and its digital ecosystem. He then crossed continents to lead the launch of ANN7 in South Africa as editor-in-chief, overseeing both television and digital. Back in India, he launched Tamil news channels News7 Tamil and Cauvery News, and later served as principal consultant for the launch of Marathi channel Lokshahi. Most recently, he helped build and lead the Press Trust of India’s video service and content studio, before stints consulting for Business Today and The Himalayan Times.
Rahul Kanwal, chief executive and editor-in-chief of NDTV, left little doubt about what Sundaram is expected to deliver. “The assignment desk is where a newsroom’s intent becomes action,” he said. “Rajesh brings a rare combination of field experience and leadership in building news operations at scale.”
Sundaram has reported from across India and the world, covering elections, civil conflicts, the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the 2008 US presidential election.
At NDTV Profit, he will lead the assignment desk, driving editorial coordination and real-time response across markets and breaking developments. For a business news network sharpening its focus on speed and multi-platform delivery, it has hired a man who has built newsrooms from scratch on three continents. The assignment desk is in good hands.
