News Broadcasting
Senior TV journalist Marya Shakil exits NDTV
MUMBAI: Senior news anchor and executive editor (National Affairs) Marya Shakil has bid adieu to NDTV. The network confirmed the development exclusively.
Known for her powerful presentation, commanding voice, and distinctive anchoring style, Shakil had joined NDTV 24×7 in August 2023 as Executive Editor (National Affairs). At the time, the move was seen as a significant new chapter in her illustrious journalism career.
Before her NDTV stint, Shakil spent nearly 18 years with CNN-News18, where she served as Senior Political Editor and Special Bureau Chief. Starting her career with the channel in 2005, she covered some of the country’s biggest political events from the frontlines and conducted exclusive interviews with several top political leaders.
Her work has earned her numerous accolades, including the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Her show NewsEpicentre has also bagged multiple honours . In 2016, she was awarded the Chevening South Asia Journalism Fellowship.
Originally from Bihar, Shakil holds a postgraduate degree in Mass Communication from Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi.
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.
