News Broadcasting
Ten Sports continues running circles around ESS courtesy WWE
MUMBAI: Despite the lack of promotional and marketing campaigns to create viewer awareness about its content, Ten Sports continues to put ESPN Star Sports on the mat courtesy Vince MacMahon’s World Wrestling Entertainment.
TAM data for the week 4-10 May for C&S homes 4+ paints a revealing picture. Ten Sports’ highest rated show is Smackdown. on 6 May. That Mumbaiites in particular are feasting their eyes on the growing conflict between Big Show and Brock Lesnar can be gauged by the fact that the show registered a TVR of 3. Delhi was next with a figure of 1.9. For all India, it had a TVR of 1.30. In fact seven of the top ten shows are wrestling oriented. The other three are informative news based bulletins. After Smackdown , the next four highest rated shows on the channel had all India TVRs of 1.06, 1.01, 0.81 and 0.81 respectively. RAW with the antics of HHH and Kevin Nash features prominently here.
If you consider all India TVRs, not a single show on ESS has reached even 0.50. In the six major metros, none of Star Sports’ top ten shows have managed to reach a TVR of 1. Its top rated show Autosports International has drawn a blank in Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore. In Mumbai, it had a TVR of 0.72. If you thought ESPN would put up a better show courtesy non-India cricket, think again. The test series between Australia and West Indies which saw Steve Waugh’s men triumph 3-1 managed to draw a TVR of over 1 in the major metros just once. That was in Kolkata where it had a TVR of 1.06. It appears that unless the Indian cricket fan is emotionally involved he couldn’t care less.
The same holds true for Ten Sports. Its cricket rating snippet pops in at number 11. You have to reach number 25 before a cricket match finally appears on Ten Sports in the form of the one day match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The silver lining is that it managed a TVR of 1.03 in Kolkata.
Star Sports’ top five shows had low all-India TVRs of 0.19. 0.14 and 0.13. They include the much hyped live telecast of Formula One. ESPN fares marginally better with all India TVRs of 0.31, 0.28, 0.27 and 0.25.
The argument that India is a “sports-dud” nation is certainly borne out by the ratings.
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
