News Broadcasting
BBC mounts most ambitious broadcasting operations in its history
MUMBAI: As the US-led invasion steps into full throttle, BBC World has abandoned its regular programming schedule and is providing extensive rolling news coverage of the situation in Iraq.
Terrestrial broadcasters from around the world are simultaneously broadcasting BBC World’s breaking news as it happens, a company release states.
BBC World is being co-presented live from around the world by Nik Gowing in Doha, Qatar; Lyse Doucet in Amman, Jordan; Jon Sopel in Kuwait; Annita McVeigh and Mishal Husain in Washington and the BBC World team in London.
In addition, BBC News has put extra teams of reporters and crews in more than 30 key locations. BBC personnel are also based in Iran, Egypt, Syria, Bahrain and Turkey, with a journalistic presence on carriers such as Ark Royal.
Overall, the BBC is mounting one of the most ambitious broadcasting operations in its history to cover the invasion of Iraq, the release says.
The BBC News deployment to the region is in excess of 200 staff, including producers and camera people. All staff have attended a week-long hostile environment course and correspondents are carrying personal body armour and CBR (chemical, biological and radiation) suits in their kit bags.
TV viewers had a look at some of that when following the first US-UK strikes on Iraq, a scud missile attack on the border with Kuwait was reported. The correspondent from the “frontlines” was seen wearing a gas mask while reporting the news. Just in case the Scuds had chemical weapons material, the viewers were informed.
The question this raises is about those intrepid journos who’re sending out news from the real frontlines i.e. Baghdad itself. It must be like a nightmare from Hell for them.
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.
