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Synopsis

As traditional viewership declines, news channels are experimenting with live concerts to retain audiences.

Article

Indian news channels are increasingly broadcasting live concerts, an unconventional response to declining viewership and intensifying competition for attention.

Linear television news has struggled to retain audiences, particularly younger viewers. Industry estimates indicate double-digit declines in urban TV news viewership over recent years, while entertainment and on-demand formats continue to gain ground.

Live concerts offer broadcasters appointment viewing, emotional engagement, and advertiser-friendly programming without political polarisation. Music creates shared moments, something prime-time news debates increasingly lack.

“Live events pull audiences back to the screen, even if temporarily,” said a senior broadcast executive familiar with the programming shift.

For advertisers, concerts provide brand-safe environments and predictable engagement spikes. For channels, they offer a way to experiment with hybrid programming that blends credibility with entertainment.

The risk lies in overextension. While concerts may lift short-term ratings, they can dilute editorial identity if positioned as substitutes rather than supplements to news.

The trend underscores a deeper challenge: relevance alone no longer guarantees attention. Experience now plays an equal role.