The BBC has crossed the 500 million mark for the first time since contemporary audience records began, reaching 502 million people every week across BBC News, the BBC World Service and content distributed by BBC Studios. The figure represents an 11 per cent year-on-year increase. India continues to be the BBC's largest international market, with BBC News reaching 74 million people every week, up from 64 million a year earlier. The United States, Nigeria, Iran and Tanzania follow as the broadcaster's other biggest international audiences. The growth in India was driven by the BBC's Indian language services. BBC News Hindi remained the largest language service with a weekly audience of 27.3 million. BBC News Punjabi recorded the fastest growth, rising 76 per cent to 2.2 million, followed by Gujarati (up 66 per cent to 5.5 million), Marathi (up 57 per cent to 8.2 million), Telugu (up 17 per cent to 7.5 million) and Tamil (up 14 per cent to 13.7 million). Rupa Jha, Co-foun

Debashis Sarkar has rejoined CNN-News18 as Technology Editor after a stint as Editorial Consultant at Verve Research. Speaking with Influencing Sarkar said he would lead technology content across News18 Digital and CNN-News18, with a focus on strengthening content-to-commerce initiatives, expanding technology and lifestyle video content, and building the team. "I'm genuinely excited to be back at CNN-News18. I'll be heading tech content across News18 Digital and CNN-News18, with a focus on building out content-to-commerce and videos for tech and lifestyle while growing the team from the ground up. It feels less like a new chapter and more like coming home, with a lot more to build this time around," he said. Sarkar brings more than 12 years of experience in digital journalism, editorial coordination and communications. He began his career as a trainee at EEY and has since worked across technology content, audience engagement and editorial strategy, helping drive

Earlier this week, the British Broadcasting Corporation had put out a report claiming that its global audience had grown to reach over half a billion people every week for the first time since they began taking note of audience reach. Across BBC News, the BBC World Service and content distributed by BBC Studios, the BBC saw its international audience grow to 502 million people – up 11 per cent year-on-year. In comparison, India's public service broadcaster Doordarshan, owned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting along with All India Radio under Prasar Bharati, has lost its relevance among Indian audience as a credible source of news although an MIB report earlier this year claimed that Doordarshan recorded a cumulative gross unique viewership of 372.8 crore between 2021 and January 2026, according to estimates by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). While Doordarshan can proudly boast of being the only channel that spans across the length and bread

Friday, 10 July 2026 #1  ·  Times City / Front Page  ·  Breaking news / In-depth feature Delhi Fails First Real 2026 Monsoon Test — Flooded Roads, Fallen Trees, Submerged Underpasses Disrupt Movement By Vibha Sharma, Ishita Jairath   ·   The Times of India, New Delhi  ·  Page 1, 6 Delhi's first significant monsoon rain of 2026 exposed chronic infrastructure failures, with waterlogging reported across dozens of arterial and internal roads, submerged underpasses, fallen trees, and at least one child drowning in a flooded lane in Samaypur Badli. The multi-reporter package integrates IMD rainfall data, PWD and MCD response claims, resident testimonies from across the city, ward-level political reactions, and a granular mapping of 12 waterlogging hotspots alongside traffic impact zones. Parallel reporting from Ghaziabad documented a road cave-in that swallowed vehicles, a school bus tilting into a submerged

The Mumbai Press Club will hold its biennial elections for the 2026-28 term on July 17, with scrutiny of nomination papers completed at the club premises on July 8. A total of 88 nomination forms were received for various posts. The presidential election will see a contest between Rajiv Khandekar and Surendra P. Gangan. For the post of chairperson, S. Balakrishnan and Mayuresh Ganapatye are in the fray, while Ashish S. Raje and Dhondiba Mhaske will contest for vice chairperson. Sourabh Sharma has emerged as the sole valid candidate for the post of secretary, while no valid nomination was received for the post of joint secretary. Shashank Parade is the only valid candidate for treasurer. Fourteen candidates are contesting for 10 seats on the managing committee. They are Anurag Kamble, Umesh Goswami, Anita D. Shukla, Girish Chitre, Nachiket Kulkarni, Ashish Rane, Jyotsna Gangane, Anish Patil, K. J. Bennychan, Sanjay Ranjit, Poonam Apraj, Swapnil Mishra, Girish Gaikwad and Vaibhav P

Photo caption: SJUK President S.R. Sakthidharan, General Secretary V.R. Rajamohan, Working President K. Janardhaan Nair, Thiruvananthapuram District President M. Rajendra Prasad, and District Secretary K.P. Rajasekharan Pillai met Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on May 25 and submitted a memorandum seeking the resolution of the pending issues faced by retired journalists. The Senior Journalists Union Kerala (SJUK) has renewed its demand for the restoration of welfare benefits and implementation of the revised pension plan for retired journalists, raising the issue during its committee meeting held at the Thrissur Press Club on July 7. Speaking to Influencing, Union General Secretary V. R. Rajmohan said nearly 704 retired journalists in Kerala are dependent on the state's journalist pension scheme, according to 2024 records, but several promised benefits remain pending. "Our demand is very simple. Give us what is ours," Rajmohan said. One of the Union's key demands is the res

Three journalist organisations - the Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ), Shramjeevi Patrakar Sangh and the Churu District Journalists’ Association, on July 7 jointly submitted a memorandum to Superintendent of Police Nishchay Prasad M, demanding the immediate arrest of the assailant who allegedly carried out a life-threatening attack on senior journalist Rajendra Singh Shekhawat. Several journalists gathered at the SP’s office, urging swift and strict action. Responding to the delegation, SP Nishchay Prasad M condemned the assault, saying attacks on the “fourth pillar of democracy” would not be tolerated. He stressed that journalists play a vital role in highlighting social issues and amplifying marginalised voices, adding that any attack on them is unacceptable. Senior journalist JP Joshi alleged the attack followed Shekhawat’s reporting on a drug-related issue, warning that if journalists were unsafe at district headquarters, conditions in remote areas cou