News Broadcasting
WWE, news bulletins, Gamer TV ratings champs for Ten Sports
MUMBAI: While there may be a debate over whether a strong sports brand can be built without India cricket, one thing is clear. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) draws viewers even when India plays in a cricket tournament..
A case in point is last month’s cricket “mini-World Cup”, the Champions Trophy, held in the second half of September. TAM data provided for the period 18-25 September indicates that the edition of World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) Raw, which aired on 20 September on Ten Sports, got a rating of 0.95 c&s 4+.
Among the metros, Mumbaiikars are the most hooked on to the “choreographed” wrestling that WWE represents. The Raw episode got a rating of 1.35 in Mumbai. The highest rated WWE show in Mumbai, however, was Smackdown (21 September) which managed a rating of 2.54.
Interestingly, even if wrestling is taken out of the equation, Ten Sports’ news bulletins still managed far higher ratings than what ESPN and Star Sports got combined. .
Sports Update on Ten Sports, which had an all-India rating of 0.63, outscored the combined rating of ESPN Star Sports’ top programmes, Football Focus and Sportsline, at 0.23.
As many as 37 shows on Ten Sports managed a rating of over 0.23 which was the maximum that ESS got. Cricket is said to be opium of the Indian masses. Yet the special Samsung Super Skills on Star Sports on 24 September was left gasping with a rating of 0.10.
Another startling finding is that on Ten Sports, after the wrestling programmes and news shows, the next highest rated programme was Gamer TV, which managed a decent rating of 0.22. Taking WWE and Gamer TV together, what this appears to indicate is that Ten Sports has caught on well with the younger audiences (teens and pre-teens).
Speaking of younger audiences, one wonders whether Ten Sports will in due course do an interactive initiative for the WWE similar to that which has been introduced recently in the US and Europe. Taboo Tuesday allows American and European WWE fans to vote online on what match ups they want to see at this special event. For instance, fans had to choose whether they wanted Triple H to defend his title against Edge, Shawn Michaels or Chris Benoit. Normally these kind of decisions are left to the discretion of the programming manager Eric Bischoff.
On the hockey front, meanwhile, Ten’s telecast of the match between India and Pakistan on 24 September got a rating of 0.18.
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
