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Nielsen adds Big Data muscle to new weekly TV rankings with sports flair
MUMBAI: Nielsen is giving TV viewership a fresh scoreboard with the launch of its revamped weekly ranking reports, now supercharged by Big Data plus Panel measurement.
Unveiled for the first official week of the new broadcast season (starting 22 September), the reports don’t just track traditional programming anymore. Two new lists are in play:Top 25 Live Sports Events and the Top 250 Total Scheduled Programmes across broadcast, cable, streaming and syndication.
Sports wasted no time making a splash in the inaugural rankings, with college football, Major League Baseball, the NFL, Ryder Cup and the WNBA all scoring spots in the Top 25.
The refreshed Nielsen rankers now span broadcast, cable, syndication and streaming, giving a more holistic view of evolving TV habits. The reports shift to total day viewing and cover demographics from households to coveted age brackets like 18–49 and 25–54.
At the heart of this is Nielsen’s Big Data plus Panel system, which blends the company’s long-standing representative panel with viewing data from 45 million households and 75 million devices, including set-top boxes, smart TVs and first-party streaming data. The result? A richer, more precise picture of who’s watching what, when and where.
Beyond advertising, these insights can influence content programming, licensing, and TV distribution deals. Nielsen is also folding the new rankings into its website’s Top 10 lists, while continuing to flex its lead in streaming measurement through tools like streaming content ratings and The Gauge.
With Big Data now in play, Nielsen isn’t just reporting on TV, it’s rewriting the playbook for how viewing is measured.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
