Business

Zee News History: From a Zee TV Bulletin to 2026

Zee News is a Hindi news channel launched on 27 August 1999 by Subhash Chandra's Essel Group, growing out of news shows on Zee TV (October 1992) and the all-ne…

Swipe to explore ›
AiTimeline Home
THE OPENING

Zee TV goes on air

Subhash Chandra's Zee TV ended Doordarshan's hold on Hindi viewers. News followed within a few years.

AiTimeline Home
ALL-NEWS

Zee India goes all-news

Zee TV ran a nightly news show. In January 1998 the group's Zee India became an all-news channel.

AiTimeline Home
LAUNCH

Zee News launches

Zee News went on air on 27 August 1999, the flagship of what is now Zee Media Corporation.

AiTimeline Home
BREAKING

IC-814 hijacking

Flight IC-814 was hijacked to Kandahar four months after launch. Viewers stayed with live news for days.

AiTimeline Home
GENRE

Zee Business launches

Zee Business brought stocks and personal finance to Hindi TV. In FY26 it held 60.5% of its genre.

AiTimeline Home
REGIONS

One network, many Indias

From 2006 Zee built channels for UP, Bengal, MP, Bihar and more: national story, state angle, local language.

AiTimeline Home
SCRUTINY

The Jindal case

Editors Sudhir Chaudhary and Sameer Ahluwalia were arrested on extortion allegations. The case was withdrawn in 2018.

AiTimeline Home
NEW NAME

Zee Media Corporation

Zee News Limited became Zee Media Corporation, a network of national, regional and digital brands.

AiTimeline Home
GLOBAL

WION launches

WION gave the network a global English channel. It ranked third in English news in FY26, on Zee's figures.

AiTimeline Home
EXPERIMENT

News without anchors

Zee Hindustan dropped anchors and newsreaders, betting the story could hold viewers without a presenter.

AiTimeline Home
REBRAND

Zee Hindustan becomes Zee Bharat

Zee Media's second national Hindi channel took a new name, set and look on 22 January 2024.

AiTimeline Home
AI

Zeenia, the AI anchor

AI anchor Zeenia presented exit-poll data in 2024, then state polls. Journalists still decide what airs.

AiTimeline Home
TURNAROUND

Back in profit

A small FY26 profit, helped by Rs 132 crore of archive licensing. Zee News's reach rank rose from 5th to 3rd.

AiTimeline Home
NOW

Zee Bharat relaunched for Young India

Zee Bharat relaunched as a social-first streaming brand with memes, UPSC and tech shows for young viewers.

AiTimeline Home

Want the full timeline?

Read the complete story, FAQs and key facts.

AiTimeline Home