News Broadcasting
Rahul Chaudhari back as UPKL’s Season 2 star
MUMBAI: UPKL kicked off its Season 2 build-up with a star raid of its own, renewing its partnership with the much-loved Rahul Chaudhari. The Showman of Kabaddi returns as brand ambassador, ensuring the league keeps its flair and fanfare intact.
The move signals UPKL’s intent to build on its reputation as one of India’s most organised and fast-growing state leagues. With its structured framework, athlete-first model and strong community engagement, the league aims to push Kabaddi deeper into the mainstream.
Rahul, who began as a defender before rising to fame as one of India’s fiercest raiders, brings experience and star power to the platform. His stellar record includes gold medal victories at the 2016 South Asian Games and the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup. He has also captained India at the 2014 Beach Asian Games in Thailand and led Uttar Pradesh in the 2015 National Kabaddi Championship.
SJ Uplift Kabaddi founder and director Sambhav Jain said, “UPKL’s growth from Season 1 to 2 shows how regional leagues can become strong ecosystems that connect communities and convert local passion into national interest. Rahul brought star value to our first season and with him continuing, we can widen visibility, energise the league and strengthen its appeal.”
Rahul Chaudhari shared his excitement, “Season 1 showed incredible hunger and potential. UPKL has opened doors for grassroots players to shine at a national level. It is a meaningful launchpad and my partnership with the league reflects our shared belief in Kabaddi’s future. I am confident the next season will offer young talent the opportunity they deserve.”
Adding to the momentum, UPKL has further boosted its reach through a broadcast partnership with Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited’s new initiatives arm Zee Sports. The collaboration will help drive nationwide viewership across TV and digital platforms.
Season 2 will feature 12 teams competing in 71 matches over 19 action-packed days in Noida, beginning 25 December 2025.
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.
