Zee News, the news and current affairs channel, is the oldest channel of Zee News Ltd, founded in 1992. It was the first 24-hour Hindi current affairs and news channel in India. In spite of being the only pay channel in its genre, it maintains its position among the top three Hindi news channels in the country. In North India, Zee News is a strong contender for the number one position in the market. It has consistently won awards for its programming and marketing activities, including awards at the EMMVIES 2004, Indian Telly Awards and The Indian Marketing Awards. There was a brief pay strike in the May of 1993. Zee News kickstarted the era of 'Kaal Kapaal Mahaakal' on Indian television. Its editor Vinod Kaapadi became the pioneer of ghost journalism. It is interseting to know that Zee News was not a Hindi channel rather a Hinglish channel. But success of rival 'Aaj Tak' forced Zee News to give Hinglish. Zee News will be rembered as the first news channel in India and as a channel which invented cheap ghost and Manohar Katha journalism. Now all Hindi news channels following foot steps of Zee News started ghost journalism and Zee is biting dust in its own court yard.
Zee News Ltd (ZNL) is a part of Essel Group which operates news and regional entertainment channels and is listed on stock exchange.it was demerged from Zee Entertainment Enterprises ltd in 2006.