Mumbai: TRA Research has released the latest edition of the Brand Trust Report 2026, highlighting a notable shift in India’s media trust landscape. The report, which ranks India’s 1000 Most Trusted Brands annually, shows Hindustan Times overtaking its long-standing rival The Times of India in the All-India trust rankings.
According to the BTR 2026 rankings, Hindustan Times is placed at 628, while The Times of India ranks 980, despite improving 115 positions compared to the previous year. The development marks the first time since 2016 that Hindustan Times has moved ahead of The Times of India in the Brand Trust Report, indicating shifting reader perceptions in India’s highly competitive English newspaper market.
Among other English print media brands, The Hindu ranks at 915, while India Today appears at 996, underscoring the continued presence of legacy editorial brands in the national trust ecosystem.
The television news segment also saw significant movements in the latest rankings. Zee News leads the Hindi television news category with an All-India rank of 211, maintaining strong audience trust. Meanwhile, Aaj Tak recorded one of the most notable improvements in the media category, jumping 527 ranks to reach 349.
Similarly, ABP News improved by 356 ranks to reach 677, while India TV features in the rankings at 941, reflecting the continued prominence of Hindi television news brands in shaping audience perceptions of credibility.
In the English television news category, NDTV registered one of the strongest upward movements, climbing 685 ranks to reach 540, signalling renewed trust momentum for established broadcast news brands.
Regional media brands also made notable gains. Bartaman recorded one of the largest improvements in the media segment, rising 783 ranks to reach 784, highlighting the growing influence of regional language journalism in India’s trust landscape.
Beyond news media, the report also features entertainment and factual television networks such as Discovery Channel, Star Gold, and Disney Channel, reflecting how long-standing broadcast brands continue to build audience trust through consistent viewer engagement.
Commenting on the findings, N. Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research said, “Trust in media brands is shaped by consistency, editorial credibility, and long-term audience relationships. The movement seen this year particularly Hindustan Times moving ahead of Times of India after nearly a decade reflects how trust leadership can shift when audiences reassess the reliability and relevance of the brands they engage with daily. Television news brands have also shown strong momentum, with several channels recording significant improvements in their trust rankings.”
Now in its 15th edition, the Brand Trust Report evaluates thousands of brands across categories to gauge how Indian consumers perceive trust in the brands they interact with in everyday life.
