News Broadcasting
Times Now Summit 2026 to convene top leaders as network marks 20 years
Policymakers, global voices and industry leaders gather to shape India’s roadmap to 2047
NEW DELHI: Times Network is turning 20 and using the moment to set the agenda for India’s next 25 years. The broadcaster will host the Times Now Summit 2026 on March 26 and 27 in New Delhi, bringing together a heavyweight lineup of policymakers, global leaders and industry voices under the theme “Celebrating Times Now @ 20, Shaping India @ 100.”
The two-day summit aims to move beyond rhetoric to results, with keynote addresses, panel discussions and debates focused on India’s growth story, its challenges and the road ahead. Designed as a platform for high-impact dialogue, the event will evaluate promises versus performance while spotlighting actionable solutions to accelerate the country’s trajectory.
The speaker roster reads like a power list. Amit Shah, minister of home affairs and minister of cooperation; Ashwini Vaishnaw, minister of railways, minister of information and broadcasting, and minister of electronics and information technology; Hardeep Singh Puri, minister of petroleum and natural gas; and Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, minister of civil aviation will headline discussions.
They will be joined by political leaders and public figures including Akhilesh Yadav, national president of Samajwadi Party and member of parliament; Manish Sisodia, former deputy chief minister of Delhi; Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of the Indian women’s cricket team; and Kriti Sanon, actor and entrepreneur, among others.
Global perspectives will come from Lindy Cameron, British high commissioner to India, and Juan Antonio March Pujol, ambassador of Spain, alongside other international voices.
Day one will also double up as a branding pivot for the network, with the unveiling of a new identity that positions Times Network not merely as a broadcaster but as a bridge connecting India to the world and the world to India in a continuous exchange.
The summit underscores Times Network’s ambition to remain at the centre of national conversations, curating dialogue that shapes policy, business and culture.
As India marches towards its centenary as an independent nation, the message from Times Now Summit 2026 is clear: the next chapter will be written not just in studios or boardrooms, but on platforms that bring power, policy and people into the same room — and force the future into focus.
News Broadcasting
Govt extends suspension of BARC ratings for news channels by four weeks
Move aims to curb sensational coverage amid global conflict concerns
MUMBAI: India’s television news ratings freeze is set to run longer. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has extended the suspension of Television Rating Points reporting for news channels by another four weeks, following its initial order issued on 6 March.
The directive had instructed the Broadcast Audience Research Council to temporarily halt TRP data for news broadcasters for a month, or until further notice. According to media reports, the pause has now been extended by an additional four weeks, taking the suspension into a second consecutive month and signalling continued regulatory unease.
At the heart of the decision are concerns over sensational and speculative reporting by sections of the news media, particularly during coverage of the US–Iran conflict. The ministry believes such content risks amplifying public anxiety and distorting viewer perception during sensitive geopolitical developments.
Industry watchers say the extension underscores a broader push to nudge news broadcasters towards more measured and responsible reporting. Earlier signals had hinted that the suspension could be prolonged further if channels failed to dial down panic-driven narratives.
For broadcasters and advertisers alike, the absence of TRP data continues to cloud visibility on audience behaviour, even as it sharpens the spotlight on editorial conduct.
