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Mumbai, 20th February 2026: Zee TV, the flagship Hindi General Entertainment Channel (GEC) from Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. has proven its mettle by emerging as India’s fastest growing channel in terms of absolute GRP growth (BARC; 15+; India Urban; Jan’25 vs Jan’26; excluding channels that joined DD FreeDish in the second period), surpassing competition across genres. The new content strategy implemented by the channel over the last few months has enabled it to garner massive gains and achieve the leadership position in core primetime for 17 consecutive weeks (BARC; HSM U+R). In fact, as per latest data (Week 6, 2026), Zee TV further cemented its position by attaining 126 GRPs (BARC; HSM Urban, 15+) with 4 shows emerging as slot leaders, marking the channel’s highest viewership in 4 years and its highest share in 7 years.
Zee TV has gradually undertaken a complete refresh of its content strategy to reflect the evolving entertainment preferences of consumers. The channel’s new programming slate encompasses a thoughtfully curated mix of progressive storylines, innovative concepts and strong character arcs in its fiction line-up, coupled with unique non-fiction properties to drive higher viewer engagement. The strategic steps implemented by the channel have enabled it to consistently chart robust viewership gains across the key audience engagement metrics such as slot leadership and prime time gains on the back of its new content slate.
Zee TV has also entrenched its presence firmly among GECs with 5 shows above 1.5 TVR in January 2026, and 4 shows in the Top 10, underscoring the strength of its refreshed programming slate. The refreshed content line-up comprising 5 fiction launches in FY26 including ‘Saru’, ‘Tumm Se Tumm Tak’, ‘Ganga Mai Ki Betiyan’, ‘Jagadhatri’ and ‘Lakshmi Nivas’ delivered immediate slot growth upon launch. The shows are adaptations of proven successes from the language markets of ‘Z’, highlighting the Company’s robust content cross pollination model.
Commenting on the achievement, Mangesh Kulkarni, Chief Channel Officer, Zee TV said, “Over the last few months, we have taken significant efforts to craft a fresh content mix for the consumers, that reflects the evolving consumption patterns, and yet retains the emotional chord. The strong viewership momentum garnered by Zee TV to emerge as the Nation’s fastest growing channel, is a firm testament of this approach and the trust showcased by consumers in our new programming strategy. We remain committed to building on this growth with more engaging and culturally-rooted narratives to continue winning the hearts of our consumers.” Commenting on the success of the new content approach, Raghavendra Hunsur, Chief Content Officer, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. said, “At the heart of our content approach lies the consumer and our relentless aim to deliver authentic, relatable stories that aptly reflect their lives and ambitions. We have taken calibrated steps to transform the content strategy across channels with layered storylines and innovative concepts to build sustainable growth in the entertainment ecosystem. The robust gains garnered by the flagship channel along with the strong momentum being showcased by Zee Telugu, underscores our belief in compelling content being the most powerful growth driver for entertainment channels.”
In addition to the gains being witnessed in the Hindi GEC space, the Company is also garnering a strong foothold in the Telugu GEC landscape with Zee Telugu emerging as the 2nd fastest growing GEC in the country (BARC; 15+; India Urban; Jan’25 vs Jan’26; excluding channels that joined DD FreeDish in the second period and those deriving majority viewership from non-GEC content; from Jan’25 to Jan’26). The increased engagement for the channel stems from its content approach focusing on evergreen shows, successful new launches and strategic scheduling refinements.
As a result of the steps implemented, Zee Telugu has also clocked strong double-digit growth with its viewership increasing by 15% to 735 GRPs in January 2026 (BARC; 15+ AP/Telangana Urban). During the same month, 3 of the channel’s flagship shows – ‘Jagadhatri’, ‘Chamanthi’ and ‘Meghasandesam’ crossed the 8 TVR benchmark, signifying the content’s strong resonance with consumers.
Furthermore, the channel’s non-fiction and movie strategy has also delivered results with the current season of the audience-favourite show ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ clocking a 52% increase in viewership over the previous season. The World TV Premieres of blockbuster hits like ‘Sankrathiki Vasthunam’, ‘Thandel’ and ‘Kantara – Chapter 1’ have further strengthened the channel’s weekend performance.
With these fastest growing channels in its portfolio, ‘Z’ continues to implement the necessary growth-oriented steps to further sharpen its consumer-centric content strategy and reinforce its leadership across all markets. The Company’s sharp focus on creative innovation and character-led storytelling, enables it to remain well-poised to garner robust viewership growth across the key markets.
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. is a leading Content and Technology powerhouse, seamlessly blending its rich legacy with pioneering innovation to deliver cutting-edge entertainment experiences. With a presence in over 190 countries and a reach of over 1.3 billion people across the globe, ‘Z’ brings diverse stories to life through linear television, digital platforms, movies and music across languages. As a truly Indian brand with a global footprint, ‘Z’ remains committed towards enriching the lives of people around the world by creating extraordinary moments which celebrate the power of optimism and togetherness.