News Broadcasting
India chooses CNBC-TV18 on Budget Day yet again
CNBC-TV18 demolishes all its competition yet again in the business genre with a market share of 79%, almost four times all the competition put together. (Source: BARC | TG: Males 22+ AB | Market: 1 mn+ | Period: 11:00 to 13:00 hours).
Not only was it the leader in the English Business News genre, CNBC-TV18 also emerged on top amongst the English General News channels this Budget, cementing its reputation as India’s Budget headquarters yet again. As per BARC India, during the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s speech, the channel garnered viewership which was higher than all the English Business and English General News channels put together (Source: BARC | TG: Males 22+ AB | Market: All India | Period: 1st Feb’18, 11:00 to 13:00 hours), During the Budget day CNBC-TV18 had higher viewership than all English General News channels put together (Source: BARC | TG: Males 22+ AB | Market: All India | Period: 1st Feb’18, 24 hours) and during the Budget week, greater than Republic TV and Times Now combined. (Source: BARC | TG: Males 22+ AB | Market: All India | Period: Week 05’18)
CNBC-AWAAZ, India’s No.1 Hindi Business News channel, has garnered a record-breaking viewership share of 90% during the Budget Speech this year amongst Hindi Business News channels (Source: BARC TG: 22+ AB Males Market: HSM Period: 1st Feb, 2018 (11:00-13:00), making it a consistent leader on every front. The channel showcases the most detailed coverage of the Union Budget with the biggest experts and analysts and has always been the channel of choice of the viewers due to its exhaustive programming line-up and a strong network of reporters and anchors.
Speaking on the success of CNBC-TV18 and CNBC-AWAAZ’s Budget coverage for yet another straight year, President Network18, Avinash Kaul said, “It is a matter of great pride that both our English & Hindi business news channels have cemented their undisputed leadership in their respective language categories. CNBC-TV18 continues to maintain its dominance and reaffirms the fact that the channel is India’s budget headquarters, yet again. CNBC-AWAAZ, on the other hand, provides news that matters the most to the masses, in the language of the masses. The figures stand testament to the outstanding performance recorded by both channels of being number one in their respective Business news categories, while CNBC-TV18 has topped the ratings in the General news category as well. The news channels stand out for their unmatched reporting quality and standards, compelling content and stellar marketing activities.”
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.
