News Broadcasting
Prasar Bharati opens its content vault to boost reach and revenue
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati is tuning up its vast content library for a bigger audience and a better balance sheet. The public broadcaster has floated a draft Content Syndication Policy 2025, inviting public feedback on how its programmes can travel further, faster and more profitably, without losing their public service soul.
Put up for consultation on the Prasar Bharati website, the draft follows structured discussions with OTT platforms, TV broadcasters, radio networks, telecom firms, IPTV operators and content aggregators. The idea is simple: let Doordarshan and Akashvani content find new homes, from classic archives and regional gems to live coverage of government events, festivals and sport. Digital first shows on Prasar Bharati’s own OTT platform are also on the table.
The policy proposes flexible licensing options, including flat fees, revenue sharing and minimum guarantees with a share of upside. It also opens the door to monetising commissioned, co-produced and licensed content owned by the broadcaster, while encouraging tie-ups with Indian and international platforms to take Indian culture global.
The details were shared by minister of state for information and broadcasting L Murugan in the Lok Sabha, signalling a bid to let public broadcasting speak to the world, and earn a little along the way.
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:Â 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.
