India TV

About India TV

India TV is a Hindi-language 24-hour news channel founded by veteran journalist Rajat Sharma and his wife Ritu Dhawan, and owned by Independent News Service Private Limited. Launched in May 2004 and based in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, the channel has grown into one of India's most-watched Hindi news networks. It is best known for "Aap Ki Adalat", the courtroom-style interview show hosted by Sharma that is the longest-running programme of its kind in Indian television history, and for "Aaj Ki Baat", its flagship prime-time news bulletin. Rajat Sharma serves as the channel's chairman and editor-in-chief.

History

India TV was launched in May 2004 by Rajat Sharma, who had made his name as the host of "Aap Ki Adalat", first broadcast on Zee TV in 1993. After a career in print journalism — including stints as a trainee at Onlooker magazine, where he became editor in 1985, and editorial roles at the Sunday Observer and The Daily — Sharma moved into television and created the courtroom-format interview show that became a landmark of Indian broadcasting. Leveraging the show's success, he and his wife Ritu Dhawan founded Independent News Service and launched India TV as their own 24-hour Hindi news channel in 2004.

The channel's early years were marked by aggressive expansion and a tabloid-inflected style that combined breaking news with mass-appeal programming, including sting operations and coverage of the supernatural, which drew both audiences and criticism. Over time, India TV consolidated its position among the top Hindi news channels, built a landmark office tower in Noida, and established itself as a fixture of the genre. In July 2024, Rajat Sharma was unanimously elected president of the News Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA), the industry body of news broadcasters, and he was re-elected for the 2025-26 term.

Ownership and Corporate Structure

India TV is owned by Independent News Service Private Limited, the company founded by Rajat Sharma and Ritu Dhawan. Sharma is the chairman and editor-in-chief, and the channel is closely identified with his editorial leadership and on-screen presence. The company is privately held and operates from its own purpose-built headquarters in Noida's Film City area.

Unlike many of its competitors, which are arms of large diversified conglomerates, India TV is a standalone news broadcaster, a structure that has allowed it to maintain a distinct editorial identity centred on its founder. The company's revenues come principally from advertising on its free-to-air and pay distribution.

Aap Ki Adalat

"Aap Ki Adalat" (Your Court) is the channel's signature programme and the longest-running reality show in Indian television history. The show began in 1993 on Zee TV, moved to India TV when the channel launched in 2004, and has aired continuously ever since. Its format resembles a courtroom: a celebrity guest sits as the respondent while Rajat Sharma, acting as the lawyer-prosecutor, subjects the guest to probing, often uncomfortably personal questioning that press conferences would not permit.

Guests have ranged from prime ministers and presidents to Bollywood stars, cricketers, industrialists, and spiritual leaders. In 2014, the show celebrated its 21st anniversary at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, an event attended by President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, actors, cricketers, and bureaucrats. The interview of Narendra Modi on the show just before the 2014 general election broke rating records, attracting 74 percent of Hindi news television viewers in India, according to industry accounts. The programme remains a regular weekend feature and has consistently led its time slot for more than two decades.

Programming and Flagship Shows

Beyond "Aap Ki Adalat", India TV's schedule is anchored by "Aaj Ki Baat", the prime-time news bulletin hosted by Rajat Sharma that presents the day's top stories with analysis. The channel's daytime programming consists of rolling news bulletins, while prime time features debates and special reports. Its weekend lineup includes long-format interviews and issue-based specials.

The channel's programming blends hard news with mass-appeal segments on crime, entertainment, astrology, and viral stories, a mix that has helped it sustain high viewership in both urban and rural markets. Its election coverage, built around on-ground reporters and studio analysis, has been a consistent ratings performer during Lok Sabha and assembly elections.

Editorial Identity

India TV's editorial identity is closely tied to Rajat Sharma's persona as a veteran journalist and interviewer. The channel positions itself as a credible yet accessible news source, combining breaking-news urgency with the familiarity of its long-running shows. Its style is characteristic of mainstream Hindi news television: fast-paced bulletins, studio debates, and extensive live reporting.

Sharma's leadership of the NBDA has placed him at the centre of industry debates on ethics and professional standards in broadcast and digital media. The channel has at times faced criticism for sensationalism, particularly in its early years, but it has also been credited with sustaining large audiences for appointment-viewing journalism in an era of fragmenting viewership.

Reach and Viewership

India TV is consistently ranked among the top Hindi news channels in BARC India ratings. In week 5 of 2018, it held the second position in the urban Hindi news chart with 55,858 impressions (000s), and in week 9 of 2018 it ranked fourth in the combined urban-plus-rural market with 134,206 impressions (000s). Its prime-time shows, particularly "Aap Ki Adalat" and "Aaj Ki Baat", have regularly topped their time slots.

The channel is distributed on cable and direct-to-home platforms across India and is available internationally through satellite and streaming. Its wide carriage, including on DD Free Dish, gives it deep penetration in rural and small-town markets, where its mass-appeal programming resonates strongly.

Digital and Online Presence

India TV operates the indiatvnews.com news portal, which carries live television streaming, video clips, and text news in Hindi and English. The channel maintains a substantial social media presence on YouTube, Facebook, and X, where clips from "Aap Ki Adalat" and its prime-time bulletins draw large audiences.

The digital operation produces web-exclusive content and short-form video, and the channel's mobile applications deliver live news and breaking-news alerts. During the April 2023 coverage of the Atiq Ahmad killing in Prayagraj, India TV's YouTube live streams recorded a peak concurrent viewership of 47,600, according to media trade reporting, reflecting the scale of its online audience during major events.

Rajat Sharma: Founder and Editor

Rajat Sharma was born on February 18, 1957, in Delhi, and studied at Ramjas School before earning a master's degree in commerce from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University, where he was general secretary of the Delhi University Students' Union in 1977. He began his journalism career as a researcher under political commentator Janardan Thakur, then joined Onlooker magazine as a trainee, rising to become its editor in 1985.

In 1993 he created "Aap Ki Adalat", which became a landmark of Indian television journalism. In 2004 he co-founded India TV with his wife Ritu Dhawan, building it into one of India's leading news channels as its chairman and editor-in-chief. His unanimous election as president of the News Broadcasters and Digital Association in July 2024, and his re-election for 2025-26, recognised his influence on the Indian broadcast news industry over three decades.

Awards and Recognition

India TV and its programmes have received industry honours for journalism and broadcasting, and "Aap Ki Adalat"'s record run has been widely cited as a milestone in Indian television history. The channel's election and special-event coverage has been recognised at television awards, and its founder's contributions to journalism have been acknowledged through his leadership roles in industry bodies.

The 21st-anniversary celebration of "Aap Ki Adalat" in 2014, attended by the President and Prime Minister of India, underscored the show's cultural significance. The channel continues to position its long-running brands as evidence of viewer trust built over two decades.

Headquarters and Operations

India TV is headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, operating from a purpose-built office tower that houses its newsroom, studios, and management. The channel maintains bureaus and correspondents across India, supporting its national newsgathering and election coverage. It broadcasts via satellite to cable and DTH platforms throughout the country and reaches international audiences through satellite and streaming distribution, with live streaming available on its website and mobile platforms.