On this page
News genre TV ad volumes fall 7% in Jan-Jul; F&B leads with 14% share, Reckitt stays top advertiser
TAM AdEx data shows News genre TV ad volumes fell 7% in January-July 2026, against a 15% decline a year earlier. Food & Beverages led with a 14% share. Reckitt Benckiser (India) stayed top advertiser, while TVS Motor Company jumped to eighth from 29th.
One email each morning: the day’s top moves in Indian retail, why each matters and what to watch. Free. Stop any time.
The numbers
Figures from Storyboard18,
| Services share of News genre ad volumes: | 13% |
|---|---|
| Retail Outlets-Jewellers category share: | 5% |
| Two Wheelers category ad volume growth: | 33% |
| Edible Oil category ad volume growth: | 35% |
| TVS Motor Company advertiser rank, Jan-Jul 2026: | 8th from 29th |
| Top 10 sectors share of ad volumes: | 81% |
Why it matters for the brand
News-genre TV ad volumes fell 7% in January-July 2026, a gentler drop than last year's 15%, so brands can still buy news inventory, but Food & Beverages (14% share) and Services (13%) dominate it, while Two Wheelers (+33%) and Edible Oil (+35%) are pushing hard into the same slots.
What to track next
- The next TAM AdEx release, showing whether the year-to-date decline stays at or below 7%
- Two Wheelers and Edible Oil volume growth holding near 33% and 35% in later months
- TVS Motor holding a top-10 advertiser rank in the next data cut
- Food & Beverages keeping its 14% share and staying ahead of Services at 13%
- Festive-quarter ad bookings and revenue commentary from news broadcasters
Likely next moves
Our read of what comes next — analysis, not reported by the source.
- TVS Motor is likely to keep up heavy TV spending through the festive period after its jump to 8th from 29th among advertisers.
- Rival two-wheeler makers may raise their news-genre ad volumes to defend share of voice against TVS Motor, given the 33% sector growth.
- Reckitt Benckiser (India) is likely to remain the top advertiser as it defends its lead in the household and health categories.
- Edible oil brands are likely to sustain elevated ad activity, extending the 35% volume rise.
- News broadcasters are likely to pitch the narrower 7% decline to media buyers as evidence that the genre is stabilising, and to target Food & Beverages and Services advertisers in particular.
The counter-case
The case against this reading — not reported by the source.
The -7% headline is weaker than it looks. It is a slower decline, not a recovery: news-genre TV ad volume has now fallen two years running, 15% last year and 7% this year, and the base keeps shrinking. The 33% (Two Wheelers) and 35% (Edible Oil) jumps are volume gains, probably off modest bases, and they say nothing about spend, rates or revenue for broadcasters. TVS Motor's move from 29th to 8th looks like a campaign burst, such as a launch or festive push, not a lasting shift in advertiser priorities. The 14% vs 13% gap between F&B and Services is too narrow to count as real leadership. Reckitt staying on top is continuity, not news. The retail-brand framing is also thin, since the data covers one TV genre, mostly FMCG and auto categories, and offers no clear read on retail or brand strategy.
The source
First seen