Republic Bharat

About Republic Bharat

Republic Bharat is a Hindi-language 24-hour news channel owned and operated by the Republic Media Network, headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Launched on February 2, 2019, it is the Hindi sister channel of Republic TV, the English news channel founded by journalist Arnab Goswami, and both channels were founded by Goswami, who serves as managing director and editor-in-chief of the network. The channel's tagline, "Rashtra Ka Naam" (In the name of the nation), reflects its nationalist editorial positioning. Within months of launch, it became one of the most-watched Hindi news channels in India, and it has remained a ratings leader in the genre since.

History

Republic Bharat was launched on February 2, 2019, through satellite and cable platforms, nearly two years after the launch of its English sibling Republic TV in May 2017. The Hindi channel was the network's expansion into the far larger Hindi news market, and it debuted with a record opening: in its first week of BARC measurement (week 6 of 2019), it recorded a reach of 73 million viewers, the strongest debut for any Hindi news channel launch in the preceding three years, according to trade reporting.

The channel's early months were marked by rapid ratings gains. By October 2020, the Broadcast Audience Research Council reported Republic Bharat as the most-watched Hindi news channel in India. On August 15, 2019, the channel launched in the United Kingdom on the Sky platform with a separate UK beam carrying locally curated programmes and events. In October 2023, it launched its own digital platform, extending the brand beyond television.

Ownership and Corporate Structure

Republic Bharat is owned by ARG Outlier Media Private Limited, the company behind the Republic Media Network, in which Arnab Goswami is the principal promoter. The network was initially funded in partnership with Asianet News Media, associated with entrepreneur and former parliamentarian Rajeev Chandrasekhar. In May 2019, on the second anniversary of Republic TV, Goswami bought back shares from Asianet, transforming the company into the Republic Media Network and making it, in his words, a completely editor-controlled company.

Goswami serves as managing director and editor-in-chief of the network. The Hindi channel's editorial team at launch was led by editor Shamsher Singh, a journalist with more than two decades of experience across channels including India News, Zee Hindustan, and Aaj Tak. The network is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Programming and Flagship Shows

Republic Bharat's schedule is built around rolling news and high-intensity prime-time debates. Its flagship programme is "Poochta Hai Bharat" (Bharat Asks), the 7 pm debate hosted by Arnab Goswami, which has been the highest-rated show in the Hindi news genre, commanding a market share of 15.5 percent in the genre at its peak, according to the network's figures. The channel's style emphasises hard-hitting presentation, campaign-driven journalism, and large-scale coverage of national stories.

The channel's launch-week coverage of stories such as the Kolkata police commissioner-CBI confrontation and the Saradha case, branded with hashtags, demonstrated its approach of building programming around big, continuing narratives. Its election coverage, featuring on-ground reporters and studio debates, has been a consistent ratings performer.

Editorial Identity

Republic Bharat's editorial identity is unabashedly nationalist and activist in tone. Goswami has described its journalism as campaign-based and impact-driven, focused on what the channel presents as the rights and interests of ordinary citizens. The tagline "Rashtra Ka Naam" positions the channel as speaking for the nation, and its presentation deliberately contrasts with what it portrays as the softer style of legacy Hindi news channels.

Critics have characterised the channel and the Republic network as part of the pro-Modi "Godi media", an allegation the network rejects. The channel's confrontational debate format, pioneered by Goswami in English television, was adapted for Hindi audiences with similar success, making its prime-time debates appointment viewing for millions.

Reach and Viewership

Republic Bharat's ratings performance has been among the most remarkable in Indian television news. Its debut reach of 73 million in week 6 of 2019 beat every Hindi genre launch of the preceding three years. By October 2020, BARC data placed it as the number one Hindi news channel in India, and the network reported a market share of 22.86 percent, ahead of established competitors including Aaj Tak and ABP News.

The channel is available free-to-air on DD Free Dish, giving it deep rural penetration, and it is carried on cable and DTH platforms across India. Its UK beam on the Sky platform serves the British Indian diaspora with locally curated content. The channel's digital platform, launched in October 2023, extends its reach to online audiences.

Controversies and Regulatory Scrutiny

Republic Bharat's launch was immediately contentious. Soon after it went on air, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India received complaints — including from TV Today Network and TV18 Broadcast — alleging that the channel, while declaring its genre as Hindi news, was being placed in additional genres on cable networks to inflate its BARC ratings. TV18 alleged that about 100 cable networks were carrying the channel outside its declared genre, giving it an unfair advantage; the regulator said it was examining the complaints.

In October 2020, the Mumbai Police launched an investigation into alleged manipulation of television rating points (TRP), with ARG Outlier Media accused of inflating viewership to command higher advertising revenue. Goswami denied the allegations and accused the police of retaliation for the channel's critical coverage; the Central Bureau of Investigation later joined the probe, and the network's CEO was briefly arrested in December 2020 before being granted bail. In December 2020, the United Kingdom's Office of Communications (Ofcom) fined the channel 20,000 pounds for broadcasts involving offensive language and hate speech, and required it to air a public apology, which it broadcast in Hindi and English between February and April 2021.

Digital and Online Presence

Republic Bharat operates within the republicworld.com digital ecosystem, the network's online platform, and launched its own dedicated digital platform in October 2023. The network maintains a large social media presence, with its debate hashtags regularly trending on X during prime time. Clips from "Poochta Hai Bharat" and the channel's special reports draw millions of views on YouTube.

The network's digital strategy emphasises video-first content and live streaming, and its mobile applications deliver breaking-news alerts. The channel's online audience skews young and urban, complementing its mass television reach.

The Republic Media Network

Republic Bharat is part of the Republic Media Network, which includes Republic TV, the flagship English news channel launched on May 6, 2017. Republic TV topped the BARC English news ratings in its very first week with 2.11 million impressions and a 51.9 percent market share, and it completed 100 consecutive weeks as the number one English news channel in April 2019, expanding the genre's viewership by 79 percent according to the network's figures.

The network's transformation into an editor-controlled company in May 2019, following Goswami's buyback of shares from Asianet News Media, was presented as a milestone for independent journalism in India. The group has since expanded across television and digital, with the Hindi and English channels anchoring its presence in the two largest news genres.

Technology and Production

Republic Bharat broadcasts from the network's studios in Mumbai, equipped for high-energy live productions with advanced graphics and virtual sets. The channel uses outside-broadcast vans, satellite links, and drone cameras for field reporting, and its election programming features data-visualisation tools and large-scale ground operations.

The network has invested in integrated television-digital workflows, allowing its reporters to produce simultaneously for broadcast and online platforms. Its UK beam operates with separate programming tailored to British audiences, a relatively unusual arrangement for an Indian news channel.

Headquarters and Operations

Republic Bharat is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, where the Republic Media Network's newsrooms and studios are located. The network maintains bureaus and correspondents across India, supporting the newsgathering of both its Hindi and English channels. The channel is carried on cable, DTH, and DD Free Dish platforms throughout India, on the Sky platform in the United Kingdom, and internationally through satellite and streaming distribution, with live streaming available on its digital platforms.