News Broadcasting
NGC commissions ‘Seconds From Disaster’ for third time
MUMBAI: Following the success of the first two series of Seconds From Disaster National Geographic Channels International (NGCI) and National Geographic Channel (NGC) have commissioned Darlow Smithson Productions (DSP) to produce a third series of the show.
Each of the 13 one hour shows have been filmed in high definition and investigates some of the world’s most infamous disasters.
The show will use CGI and dramatic reconstructions to recreate the fateful moments that led to each catastrophe. Eyewitness testimony from survivors coupled with visuals and scientific analysis heightens the emotional impact of this series, filmed in locations around Europe and the US.
The show will explore events including the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. That saw over 1500 people perish. The fateful journey of Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, DC in 1982 killing 78 people. It also looks at the 1972 Olympic massacre in Munich resulting in the deaths of 11 athletes and one German police officer at the hands of international terrorists; and the devastation of the recent Asian Tsunami which claimed the lives of more than 230,000 people.
Darlow Smithson head of factual Tom Brisley says, “The first two series were highly successful for DSP, NGC and NGCI, and we are delighted that it has become such a strong returning brand. Each series has brought to life disasters with gritty realism through the use of cutting edge CGI effects and reconstructions.
“In the third series particularly, we’ve been able to secure exceptional access to survivors who have been unwilling to talk in the past. In true DSP style, we’ve approached this third series with greater ambition, covering bigger and more complex events than ever before”.
NGCI executive VP content Sydney Suissa says, “Right from its first broadcast, Seconds from Disaster established itself as one of our signature series. The production values combined with powerful storytelling and impeccable research make the series compelling week in and out. I am delighted that we can offer our viewers a third season”.
NGC US executive VP John Ford says, “Viewers have enthusiastically embraced this series because it gives them the opportunity to understand disasters from a scientific point of view, leading to new insights into how these tragic events occurred in the first place. To know exactly what happened, and to see it through the magic of CGI, is a stunning new technique.”
News Broadcasting
News TV viewership jumps 33 per cent as West Asia war draws audiences
BARC Week 8 data shows news share rising to 8 per cent despite T20 World Cup
NEW DELHI: Even as individual television news channel ratings remain under a temporary pause, the genre itself is seeing a clear surge in audience attention.
According to the latest data from Broadcast Audience Research Council India, television news recorded a 33 per cent jump in genre share in Week 8 of 2026, covering February 28 to March 6.
The news genre accounted for 8 per cent of total television viewership during the week, up from 6 per cent the previous week. The spike in attention coincided with escalating geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which have kept global headlines firmly fixed on West Asia.
The rise is notable because it came at a time when cricket was dominating television screens. The high-stakes stages of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, including the Super 8 fixtures and semi-finals, were being broadcast during the same period.
Despite the cricket frenzy, viewers appeared to be toggling between sport and global affairs, boosting the overall share of news programming.
The surge in genre share comes even as the government has enforced a one-month pause on publishing ratings for individual news channels. The move followed regulatory scrutiny of the television ratings ecosystem.
While channel-level rankings remain temporarily out of sight, the genre-level data suggests that when global tensions escalate, audiences continue to turn to television news for real-time updates.
