News Broadcasting
Times Network announces ‘India For Bengal’
MUMBAI: Times Network has launched ‘India For Bengal’, a special initiative to create awareness and raise funds for the relief efforts for the state ravaged by the catastrophic Cyclone Amphan. Committed to drive the cause through a unified voice, Times Network encourages the nation to stand with the people of Bengal and contribute to rebuild the state.
With more than 1.36 crore people affected and 10.5 lakh houses damaged, the cyclone shattered and unhinged the lives of many, resulting in extensive loss. Electricity and telephone lines have been brought down, houses flattened and hundreds of full-grown trees uprooted across Kolkata city and the entire State. ‘India For Bengal’ seeks to help those who have been affected by nature’s fury by raising awareness about the plight of the people in the affected state and urges Indians to join hands to support the lives and livelihood of fellow citizens in West Bengal.
Citizens can donate funds to:
Times Network MD-CEO MK Anand said: ““Bengal is a keystone of India’s cultural heritage. The State and its people have been ravaged by one of the biggest natural disasters in recent times. ‘India for Bengal’ is an act of urgency that requires support and solidarity of the entire nation to rebuild West Bengal. Through this initiative, we aim to offer our nationwide reach to appeal to all Indians to step forward and contribute to this task of relief & rehabilitation. I am confident that with our collective efforts and push we will be able to speedily bring help to the affected and start the healing process.”
This national-level drive will run through www.timesnownews.com and on TIMES NOW and Mirror NOW, to create maximum assistance for the people who have been displaced by the cyclone. Along with interviews with the critical stakeholders of the state and extensive reportage with ground reports, the English news channels of the network, Times NOW and Mirror NOW, will extensively cover the aftermath of the cyclone.
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.
