News Broadcasting
US media leaders present security guidelines to FCC
WASHINGTON D.C: Leaders from the US broadcast, cable and satellite industries have made a detailed presentation to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It consists of over 50 best practices recommendations detailing prevention and restoration measures to ensure the continued operation and security of media facilities in the face of a national emergency.
These recommendations were the result of a focussed survey of media facilities across the US.
The recommendations were presented to members of the Media Security and Reliability Council (MSRC) at its biannual meeting at the FCC. The 41-member Federal Advisory Committee will complete voting on these recommendations by 26 November.
The Communications Infrastructure Security, Access and Restoration Working Group presented to the Council the best practices recommendations detailing prevention and restoration measures that local media can implement. The best practices included recommendations regarding the physical security, backup power, and redundant facilities for radio stations, local television stations and cable television companies.
They also included recommendations related to disaster recovery plans of radio and television broadcasters, cable companies, direct broadcast satellite (DBS) and digital satellite radio providers, and other delivery media. FCC Chairman Michael Powell added, “This fourth meeting of the MSRC Council demonstrates the continued commitment of the FCC and the media industry to take the necessary steps to achieve a fundamental priority of this Commission and this country-securing and protecting our homeland.”
The Public Communications and Safety Working Group reported to the Council on an upcoming workshop they plan to conduct. They are preparing to study Tampa, Florida as a model for implementation of existing MSRC best practices recommendations, and to develop new recommendations based upon local and regional practices in the Tampa Bay area.
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.
