News Broadcasting
Scope for BTVi & two channels in biz genre, says Megha Tata
MUMBAI: While assessing business news viewership to be less than one per cent of the 183-million television viewing homes, BTVi aims to be among the top three channels as it grows two and a half times in six months flat.
Business Television India (BTVi) will complete a year in August 2017 and its hard work seems to have catapulted its ratings on the BARC India charts. It claims to have doubled its Twitter following in a year.
BTVi’s focus continues to be the main metros, where English business news consumption is on a higher side. The channel plans to strengthen its sales team by hiring some more senior executives in Mumbai, Delhi and south India. Recently, BTVi hired Shilpa Shetty and Seema Pisharody and made their revenue and strategy teams stronger.
BTVi COO Megha Tata said, “The business news genre is very small — probably be less than a per cent, and there is space for three business channels to survive, eventually.”
Talking about the growth of genre and BTVi as a channel, she said: “The genre has grown by about 104 per cent in the last 5-6 months, but BTVi has grown by 240 per cent, This growth is primarily owing to the content we are airing, is connecting well with the viewers.” Says Tata: “We are planning to increase our ad rates soon.”
Talking about BTVi shows and their success, Tata said, “We have had some early wins, which are showing a positive trajectory. Shows launched recently are ‘Call BTVi’ and ‘Financial Planner’, of which the former got a very good response from across the country. We have almost about hundred calls waiting everyday — an indicator that people are watching our channel.”
“We are planning to launch more show in the coming months,” she added. “Our sales team is in the process of getting more advertisers on board,” Tata said.
BTVi recently stepped into the digital space by launching a mobile version of the channel and a website. It remains to be seen how the business strategy of the business channel works in the coming months.
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Times’ Anuj Katiyar joins BTVi, aims at impactful content & strategic mktg (updated)
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
