News Broadcasting
Asianet News rolls out employee stock ownership plan
Mumbai: Asianet News Media and Entertainment has rolled out an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).
The stock option plan will be extended to Asianet’s long-term employees as well as new team members who have displayed exceptional performance, said the statement.
“ESOPs form a critical part of employee value proposition and we want to reward those going over and above their responsibilities,” said Asianet News chief operating officer Ruchir Khanna. “The policy has already been initiated and the ESOPs have been granted to the employees who have been an important part of Asianet’s growth. This shall remain open to other employees falling in the eligibility criteria in the future as well.”
The group has a multi-media presence across the country in multiple languages via its digital platform, TV channels, print publication and radio channels.
“It is a matter of great privilege and pride that we are able to recognise our team members, who have been a part of our business growth story, as shareholders,” said Asianet News chief business officer Samarth Sharma. “This initiative should provide a fillip to our employees to work towards a common goal. We’d also like to thank our client and agency partners besides our strategic partners for their support in our growth.”
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.
