News Broadcasting
Times Now continues undisputed leadership
Mumbai: Asserting its dominance as the election news headquarters, Times Now emerged as the preferred news destination during the six-week polling phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Commanding the electoral landscape with extensive election reportage, and curated programming, Times Now led with a 29 per cent market share (BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| Wk.16-21’24) and garnered an impressive 31 per cent market share (BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| Wk.21’24, Weekdays 2000-2300hrs) in primetime viewership outpacing its competitors.
Viewership Shares – Wk.16-21 2024
Source: BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| Wk.16-21’24
Prime Time Shares
Source: BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| Wk.21’24, Weekdays 2000-2300hrs
As the elections advanced in phases, on the 5th phase of polling day, May 20, 2024, Times Now demonstrated its leadership by securing an impressive 27% viewership share (BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| 20th May 2024) reinforcing its dominance even on polling days.
5th Polling Day – 20th May 2024
Source: BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| 20th May 2024
Election news coverage on Times Now set a new benchmark in reportage, offering viewers comprehensive and engaging content throughout the electoral process. The channel’s strategic content included flagship shows like India Upfront and The Newshour; exclusive interviews with top political leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, which were top picks among viewers. In a series of firsts for the channel, the special election programming featured engaging shows such as Election Premier League, Public Manch, and National Debate that encouraged critical thinking and active engagement in the democratic process, solidifying Times Now’s position as the go-to choice for election coverage. Enhancing the election coverage, the innovative ‘Election Yatra’ mobile studio travelled across the country, capturing the essence of democracy through interviews and on-ground talk shows.
News Broadcasting
Senior media executive Madhu Soman exits Zee Media
Former Reuters and Bloomberg leader says he leaves with “no regrets” after brief stint at WION and Zee Business
NOIDA: Madhu Soman, a veteran of global newsrooms and media sales floors, has stepped away from Zee Media Corporation after a short stint steering business strategy for WION and Zee Business.
In a reflective LinkedIn note marking his departure, Soman said his time within the network’s corridors was always likely to be brief. “Some chapters close faster than expected,” he wrote, signalling the end of a nearly two-year spell in which he oversaw both editorial partnerships and commercial strategy.
Soman joined Zee Media in 2022 after more than a decade abroad with Reuters and Bloomberg, returning to India to take on the role of chief business officer for WION and Zee Business. His mandate was ambitious: bridge the newsroom and the revenue desk while expanding digital and broadcast reach.
During the stint, Zee Business reached break-even for the first time since its launch in 2005, while WION refreshed programming and strengthened its digital footprint across platforms such as YouTube and Facebook.
But Soman suggested the cultural fit proved uneasy. Describing himself as a “cultural misfit”, he hinted at deeper tensions between editorial instincts shaped in global newsrooms and the realities of India’s television news ecosystem.
Before joining Zee, Soman spent more than seven years at Bloomberg in Hong Kong as head of broadcast sales for Asia-Pacific, expanding the company’s news syndication business across several markets. Earlier, he held senior editorial roles at Reuters, overseeing online strategy in India and managing Reuters Video Services from London.
His career began in television and wire reporting, including a stint with ANI during the 1999 Kargil conflict, before moving into digital publishing as India’s internet media landscape took shape.
Now, after nearly three decades in broadcast and digital media, Soman is leaving Delhi NCR and returning to his hometown, Trivandrum.
Exhausted, he admits. But unbowed. And with one quiet line that sums up the journey: he didn’t sell his soul — because some things, after all, are not for sale.
