News Broadcasting
7 Star reaches deal with ESPN as India-Windies cricket series gets under way
Just in time. Seven Star Cable Network, which was the only MSO in Mumbai still to sign on to the new subscriber regime of ESPN Star Sports, has finally thrashed out an agreement with the sports broadcaster. Following the agreement, telecast resumed on 11 April.
According to the information available, 7 Star agreed to increase its declared connectivity from 7,000 to 10,000 (a figure that works out to 10 per cent of the estimated 100,000 homes the MSO services).
The contract between ESPN Software and 7 Star is similar to the one the sports broadcaster signed recently with the Hinduja Group’s InCableNet. The deal runs through till 31 December 2003 and there have been clauses included that allow for ramping up of the declared subscriber base in a phased manner.
With the figure decided upon, sports buffs in western Mumbai, who had to make do without the sports channel while the broadcaster and the MSO wrestled connectivity figures and hiked rates, now again have access to the India-West Indies series that began 11 April.
News Broadcasting
Network18 channels lead YouTube news viewership in March 2026
CNN-News18, News18 India and CNBC channels top categories with record views
MUMBAI: When the world hit refresh on breaking news, Network18’s channels were already streaming ahead. As geopolitical tensions and war-driven headlines fuelled a surge in global news consumption, the network’s digital playbook delivered big clocking record Youtube viewership across English, Hindi and business news categories in March 2026.
At the forefront was CNN-News18, which emerged as the clear leader in the English news segment with 130 million live and video-on-demand views. The channel edged past competitors such as Times of India (126.5 million), Times Now (101.1 million), India Today (88.2 million) and NDTV (77.5 million), according to Databeings data for March.
In the Hindi news arena, News18 India delivered a commanding performance, racking up a staggering 3,297 million views on YouTube. The channel comfortably outpaced NDTV India, which recorded 3,119 million views, underlining its deep reach and consistent engagement with mass audiences, as per Playboard data.
The network’s dominance wasn’t confined to general news. In the Hindi business segment, CNBC Awaaz topped the charts with 92 million views, narrowly ahead of Zee Business (90 million) and well ahead of ET Now Swadesh (57 million). Meanwhile, its English counterpart CNBC-TV18 posted a strong 58 million views, reinforcing the network’s cross-category strength.
The spike in viewership reflects a broader shift in audience behaviour, with viewers increasingly turning to digital platforms particularly Youtube for real-time updates and in-depth coverage during high-intensity news cycles. For Network18, the numbers signal more than just scale; they underline the effectiveness of a multi-platform strategy that blends speed, credibility and continuous coverage.
In a month where the news never paused, it seems viewers chose to stay tuned where the stream never stopped.
