News Broadcasting
World Cup finals deliver all-time high ratings
MUMBAI: The question was never whether the World Cup would deliver monster ratings, just how high could it go? TVRs for the ICC World Cup 2003 finals between Australia and India saw a new high with a TVR of 39.3 in Kolkata followed by Hyderabad and Mumbai with 30 and 25.5 respectively.
The six metros in the country averaged a TVR of 25.8 during the live match in C&S households, according to a MAX release.
Said MAX business head Rajat Jain: “The TAM ratings for the final match between India and Australia have broken all viewership records. MAX has got a channel share of 71.93 per cent in the base of all channels telecasting to C&S homes across the country, with Kolkata pegging a high of 81.98 per cent. Kolkata was followed by Hyderabad with a channel share of 74.94 per cent, Mumbai at 71.93 per cent, and Bangalore at 58.09 per cent.”
Peak half-hour ratings too were similarly spectacular. Said Jain, “The peak half hour ratings during the Finals touched a high of 47.3 in Kolkata, which is a record in Indian television history. Hyderabad stood second at 33.3, followed by Mumbai at 28.5.”
MAX’s Extraaa Innings also recorded phenomenal figures during the finals, with an average of 8.5 TVRs in the 6 metros in the C&S households, Jain said.
“MAX had set out to give greater value to our viewers and advertisers and other associates,” said Mr Jain,” and we have successfully converted the usual 8-hour Cricket match into an entertaining 11 hour presentation,” he added.
News Broadcasting
UDF poised to return to power in Kerala, says Manorama-CVoter survey
Massive opinion poll projects shift in Kerala politics ahead of 2026 Assembly elections.
MUMBAI: The winds of change appear to be blowing through Kerala’s political landscape and this time, they seem to favour the United Democratic Front. A comprehensive mega opinion survey conducted by Manorama News in partnership with CVoter projects a potential comeback for the UDF in the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections 2026. The survey, covering all 140 constituencies with a massive sample size of nearly 90,000 respondents, predicts the UDF could win between 69 and 81 seats.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is expected to secure 57 to 69 seats, a significant drop from the 99 seats it won in the 2021 elections. This would mean the LDF losing 30 to 42 of its sitting seats. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which drew a blank in 2021, is projected to open its account with 1 to 5 seats.
Region-wise, the UDF is expected to make strong gains in Malabar, winning 25 to 34 out of 48 seats, and in Central Kerala, where it could bag 29 to 33 out of 53 seats. In South Kerala, the LDF is likely to retain an edge with 21 to 25 seats, while the UDF may improve to 12 to 16 seats. The NDA could pick up 1 to 3 seats in the southern region.
The survey was conducted between 14 and 26 March 2026, with additional tracker and snap polls carried out from December 2025 to March 2026. A total of 89,693 respondents participated, ensuring representation across all demographics and social segments.
Manorama News has a strong track record of accuracy, with its previous projections closely matching the actual results of the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls.
In Kerala’s famously fierce political battles, this survey suggests the pendulum may be swinging back. Whether the final verdict matches these numbers or throws up another surprise, one thing is clear, the 2026 Assembly elections are shaping up to be one of the most keenly watched contests in the state’s history.
