MUMBAI: The day of reckoning is here. With the NDTV news channels making their debut today, the array of news channels is finally complete - Aaj Tak, Headlines Today, Zee News, Sahara Samay, Star News, NDTV India and NDTV 24x 7.

As we await data to find if these new news channels deliver and live upto people's expectations, we take a look at how the old players namely, Aaj Tak, BBC, CNBC, CNN, Star news and Zee news fared in Delhi and Mumbai, during the last week of March (prior to the launch of the new news channels).

Interestingly, the Emediaplan search result for the top 15 programmes on the channels reveals that while BBC , CNN and CNBC didn't figure anywhere in both metros, it was a close battle between Aaj Tak and Zee News in Delhi, with Aaj Tak occupying nine of the top 15 shows. In Mumbai, Aaj Tak hogged all the top 15 programmes (C&S households, 4+).

In Delhi, Aaj Tak at 11:00 pm garnered a rating of 2.66 followed by Zee's Ghamasan 2003 getting 2.6. Apart from Aaj Tak news and Aaj Tak headlines, the channel's show Duniya Ravivar too, did well and harnessed a rating of 2.33. Similarly, apart from Zee's News and Headlines, shows like Bis Saal Baad and Time Machine too got a good rating of 2.21 and 2.07 respectively.

In Mumbai, Aaj Tak's domination in the top 15 programmes is a clear indicator of the fact that the channel has carved an impressive niche for itself in the metropolis. With new entrants like Sahara Samay, Star News and NDTV news channels, the new round of competition for higher ratings, however, may have just begun.