News Broadcasting
Votes of confidence News18 Bihar wins big for poll ground game
MUMBAI: When ballots spoke, boots stayed on the ground. News18 Bihar-Jharkhand has been awarded the National Media Award in the Electronic (Television) category for its extensive, ground-level coverage of the Bihar Assembly elections 2025, underlining the value of constituency-first journalism in an era of headline overload.
The award was presented by Droupadi Murmu on the occasion of the 16th National Voters’ Day, recognising the channel’s field-driven reporting and deep dive into local electoral dynamics across the state.
Bihar went to the polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, 2025, recording one of the highest voter turnouts in its history. Through the election and counting period, the News18 network deployed reporting teams across all 38 districts and 46 counting centres, ensuring uninterrupted, on-the-ground updates as the story unfolded booth by booth.
The coverage blended field reports with studio-led analysis and verified data. A dedicated Live Results system was built to manage real-time data collection, processing and dissemination, enabling timely and accurate updates on counting day without sacrificing context or clarity.
Rather than chasing noise, News18 Bihar-Jharkhand kept its lens trained on local issues, voter sentiment, alliance arithmetic and constituency-level factors, offering viewers not just results, but reasons behind them.
Already the most-watched news channel in Bihar, News18 Bihar has built its reputation on consistent reporting around governance, infrastructure, healthcare, education and law and order. Its reporters’ presence across districts has often placed local concerns at the centre of the public conversation.
The recognition further consolidates the channel’s standing in regional television journalism and reflects sustained viewer trust during one of the state’s most closely watched democratic exercises.
News18 Bihar-Jharkhand is part of Network18, India’s largest omni-channel news network, which operates 20 television channels and seven digital news platforms across multiple Indian languages.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
