Archive · 14 Sep 2026
NDTV App Seeks Lasting Reader Relationships Beyond Platforms
NDTV says many people now get news through social and video platforms instead of directly from news companies.
Platforms can reach lots of people, but publishers do not control how those platforms show stories.
NDTV wants its app to become a place readers choose to visit repeatedly.
The app puts quick updates and detailed journalism together.
It includes cards, live coverage, audio, video, data stories and longer reports.
AskNDTV answers questions using NDTV’s own articles and information.
NDTV says journalists check the cards for accuracy and framing.
The company reports that users spend more than 20 minutes per visit on average.
It also says more than 70 percent of users return 30 days after using the app.
NDTV argues that AI and platform dominance are making routine, mid-level news harder for publishers to justify.
The app combines breaking updates, live coverage, audio, video, data journalism and longform reporting in one experience.
Its Smart Cards feed presents journalist-scored information, while Spotlight and Datafy support immersive and data-led storytelling.
AskNDTV answers questions using NDTV’s own reporting and data rather than searching the open web.
NDTV says average app sessions exceed 20 minutes, monthly usage exceeds nine hours, and Day 30 retention is above 70 percent.
- Who
- NDTV, led in this article by Chief Content Officer Vinay Sarawagi and Chief Product Officer Rohan Tyagi.
- What
- NDTV is developing its app as an owned news product that connects breaking news with deeper journalism and AI-assisted answers.
- When
- The article references a change in August, the Reuters Institute’s 2026 Digital News Report, and Apple featuring the app at an event this month; no publication date is provided.
- Where
- The effort centers on the NDTV app and is discussed in the context of news audiences in India and global digital platforms.
- Why
- NDTV says publishers need to build direct, repeat relationships with readers instead of relying mainly on platforms and their algorithms.
Platform-First Approach
Owned-App Approach
Audience distribution
Platform-First Approach
Social and video platforms provide broad distribution and are now a major way people access news, according to the article.
Owned-App Approach
NDTV argues that publishers should build a direct relationship through an app they control rather than depend on changing platform algorithms.
AI and news production
Platform-First Approach
Automated systems can produce large amounts of fluent content and are being tested against a human desk for user acquisition.
Owned-App Approach
NDTV says AI cannot replace reporting from the ground, courtroom presence or the editorial judgment needed for important details.
Product experience
Platform-First Approach
Feeds and open-web tools offer fast, convenient access to many stories and answers.
Owned-App Approach
NDTV says its app can connect alerts, cards, live coverage, audio, video and longform work in one coherent session.
- App positioning
- NDTV describes its app as a bridge between breaking news and deep journalism.
- Smart Cards
- The feed combines editorial selections, discovery and personalization, with each card scored by a journalist for accuracy and framing.
- AskNDTV
- The feature answers questions from NDTV’s own reporting and data rather than the open web.
- Average session
- NDTV says an average app session lasts more than 20 minutes.
- Monthly usage
- Users spend more than nine hours in the app each month, according to NDTV.
- Day 30 retention
- NDTV reports that Day 30 retention is above 70 percent.
- Reported engagement growth
- Stories consumed per user are up 35 percent, while feed time and scroll depth have doubled, according to the article.