As we begin the New Year, we spoke to industry leaders to reflect on the shifts that shaped 2025 and the forces expected to define 2026. For Varun Kohli, Director & Group CEO, Bharat Express News Network, 2025 underscored the pressures of competition and changing audience expectations in Hindi news.
Reflecting on a year of recalibration for Hindi news, Kohli notes, “2025 was a challenging year for Hindi news, marked by shifting viewer expectations and intense competition.”
Looking ahead, Kohli sees transformation, scale, and innovation converging across platforms, “As we step into 2026, national Hindi news channels must redefine themselves for a more discerning audience that values credibility, depth, and innovation. The future of Hindi news is bright; it will grow alongside entertainment and sports genres, reaching audiences through wider screens like Connected TVs and dynamic digital and social media platforms. We are evolving into a truly omni channel ecosystem that blends real-time reporting with personalized AI driven summaries and regional storytelling. At Bharat Express, we see this as an opportunity to transform news into an immersive, multi-platform experience that resonates with every viewer, everywhere.”
(As told to Neeta Nair)
