News Broadcasting
Aaj Tak and India Today TV emerge as top scorers on Budget Day
MUMBAI: Aaj Tak and India Today TV, the Hindi and English news channels of India Today Group were the Budget Day’s most preferred news destinations, perched pretty well atop the news viewership table.
The 2019 budget presented by the Indian Government on 5th July had millions tuned in. Throughout the reporting of the budget, India Today TV and Aaj Tak helped all sections of the populace decipher the various complexities of the budget, and delivered key insights regarding the state of the country’s economy.
Here’s how Aaj Tak fared during budget hours compared to other networks:
|
Channel |
Gross Impressions (0000s) |
|
Aaj Tak |
3698 |
|
Zee News |
2149 |
|
ABP News |
2148 |
|
India TV |
2125 |
|
News18 India |
1091 |
* Source – BARC, 15+ NCCS ALL, Time Band – 11:00 – 14:00, period – 5th July 2019, Market – HSM
Through their decades of experience, the most respected and popular journalists of the country delivered comprehensive facts and insights on the budget on both India Today TV and Aaj Tak, and political experts on these platforms drilled down several vital aspects of the policies announced. With this impeccable reputation behind them, both Aaj Tak and India Today TV established themselves as the No.1 news destinations on Budget Day.
Here’s how India Today TV fared compared to other channels:
|
Budget Day |
Budget Hours |
||
|
Channel |
Impressions'000 {Sum} |
Channel |
Impressions'000 {Sum} |
|
India Today TV |
45.1 |
India Today TV |
27.6 |
|
Times Now |
35.5 |
Republic TV |
4.3 |
|
Republic TV |
28.2 |
Times Now |
3.5 |
|
Mirror Now |
22.7 |
Mirror Now |
2.0 |
|
NDTV 24×7 |
18.1 |
NDTV 24×7 |
0.4 |
|
CNN News18 |
9.2 |
CNN News18 |
0.1 |
Source for Budget Hours: BARC, Mkt: Mega Cities, Time Band: 1100-1300hrs TG: 22+ M AB, Period: 5th July’19, G’Imp’000
With a resounding victory on budget day, both the channels have established themselves as the bastions of solid reporting and the gold standard in their respective genre.
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.
