Traditional Media
TV • Radio • Print • Cable/MSO infrastructure
Punjabi Media Landscape (Verified)
Top media outlets ranked by circulation/reach — Ajit #1 newspaper (Media Ant May 2025)
Congress-Akali friendly (3.5/5)
Centrist/Independent (2.5/5)
Congress-leaning (3/5)
Congress-friendly (3.5/5)
BJP-RSS leaning (2/5)
SAD-BJP aligned (1.5/5) — OWNED by Sukhbir Badal
Moderately AAP-leaning to Neutral (2/5)
BJP-aligned (1.5/5)
TV Channel Reach & Market Position (G26 Research)
BARC Suspended Mar 2026BARC TV ratings suspended since March 2026 (Ministry directive) — No official viewership data available as of May 2026
GEC
News
News
News
GEC
Public
TV Advertising Rates (G26 Research)
30-sec Spot RatesRegional Punjabi channels — BARC suspension means actual viewership-based pricing is fluid
| Channel | Standard Time | Prime Time (8-11 PM) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PTC Punjabi | Rs 5,000-20,000 | Rs 30,000-80,000 | Prime 2-3x base |
| ABP Sanjha | Rs 5,000-18,000 | Rs 25,000-60,000 | Industry estimate |
| News18 Punjab | Rs 4,000-15,000 | Rs 20,000-50,000 | J-Band: Rs 413 |
| Zee Punjab HP | Rs 4,000-15,000 | Rs 20,000-45,000 | Regional |
| PTC News | Rs 3,000-12,000 | Rs 15,000-40,000 | DD Free Dish expanded reach |
National channels for comparison: Aaj Tak prime time INR 50,000-2,00,000+ | IPL TV INR 18 lakh per 30 sec
Radio Landscape with Listenership (G26 Research)
FM radio significantly underutilized for political messaging in Punjab
Domestic FM Stations
8-12L daily • 35-60+ yrs, rural
6-10L daily • 18-45 yrs, urban
5-8L daily • 18-40 yrs, urban
4-7L daily • 18-35 yrs, urban
3-5L daily • 25-50 yrs, urban
Regional • Rural, border areas
NRI/Diaspora Radio Networks
Significant NRI listenership | Diaspora engagement
Large NRI audience | Political content permissible
Diaspora reach | Merged entity
Cable/MSO Infrastructure (G26 Research)
SITI, DEN, Hathway, GTPL — Reliance-Disney merged entity (Nov 2024) controls significant distribution
SITI Networks
Independent800+ locations, 245+ districts
33,000+ km optical fiber
15 digital headends
Largest MSO India
DEN Networks
ReliancePan-India cable presence
Major Punjab coverage
Fastway
IndependentNorth India, strong Punjab
LCN mapping available
Hathway Cable
ReliancePresent in Punjab
GTPL Hathway key player
Campaign Budget Estimates (G26 Research)
Recommended TV/Radio broadcast budgets for Punjab election 2027
| Campaign Scale | TV Budget | Radio Budget | Combined Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum (4 weeks) | Rs 18-33 lakh | Rs 3-6 lakh | Rs 21-39 lakh |
| Recommended (8 weeks) | Rs 63 lakh-1 crore | Rs 5.5-11 lakh | Rs 68 lakh-1.1 crore |
| Maximum (12 weeks) | Rs 1-1.5 crore | Rs 8-15 lakh | Rs 1.08-1.65 crore |
Minimum viable: Rs 21-39 lakh (4 weeks) | Recommended: Rs 68 lakh-1.1 crore (8 weeks)
Regional Media Strategy (G26/G3 Research)
Tailored approach for Malwa (69 seats), Majha (27 seats), Doaba (23 seats) — Government ad rate revision: +26% (Nov 2025)
Malwa
69 seatsBudget: 60%
TV: PTC Punjabi, ABP Sanjha
Print: Ajit, Punjabi Jagran
Counter BJP-RSS narrative; Punjabi language content; Malwa dialect focus
Majha
27 seatsBudget: 25%
TV: Zee Punjab, News18
Print: Ajj Di Awaz, Nawan Zamana, Jagbani
Border sensitivity; Chandigarh elite reach; cross-border diaspora content
Doaba
23 seatsBudget: 15%
TV: PTC, ABP Sanjha
Print: Rozana Spokesman, Jagbani, Ajit
Digital + TV combo; youth focus; NRI WhatsApp networks; highest SC concentration