News Broadcasting
Zee News claims to have usurped Aaj Tak’s ‘Numero Uno’ slot
MUMBAI: The race has begun. Latest, Zee News issued a release claiming that it has elbowed the numero uno Hindi news channel Aaj Tak from its prime position and it is indeed on the top now.
Starting with a quirky ‘Haqeeqat’ beats ‘Sabse Tez’ line, Zee News claims that it has managed to do so because of its ‘differentiating’ coverage and special reports. Quoting the Tam research data for the week ending 18 September, C&S 4+ households, Zee News claims that it has regained the leadership position in news genre.
According to the release, Zee News claims that it tops in the stickiness quotient as the viewers spent maximum time on the channel. Referring to the data, the channel claims that the time-spend on Zee News is 30 minutes (which is 15 per cent more than Aaj Tak’s time-spend), as against 26 minutes on Aaj Tak and 24 minutes on NDTV India.
While, as far as the channel shares go, Zee News claims that it leads with 30 per cent channel share ahead of Aaj Tak’s 28 per cent, NDTV India’s 24 per cent and Star News only four per cent in Delhi. In four Metros, share of Zee News is 22.9 per cent, which is equal to Aaj Tak 22.9 per cent and more than NDTV India’s share 20.4 per cent.
Zee News’ weekly feature Crime File, claims the release, is favourite with viewers as the top programme in news genre and in addition to that four out of the top 10 programmes in news genre are from Zee News.
“The resurgence in Zee News ratings and viewership is a result of dogged pursuit of Haqeeqat and continuous focus on differentiating content,” says Zee Telefilms Ltd Director News Group Laxmi Goyal.
Recent coverage, including one on Venus Transit – Shukra Hai Suraj Hai, exclusive reporting from accident site during the Mastygandha train accident, helped Zee News gain huge leads on its rivals, claims the release.
The breaking news and continuous coverage of Kumbhkonam tragedy, the nation wide debate initiated on capital punishment on hanging of Dhanjay, the exclusive Inside story on call girl rackets and the recent coverage and happy solution of Guriya’s dilemma, claims the release, has helped consolidated Zee News’s position as thought leader.
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.
