News Broadcasting
BBC newsreaders overpaid; Jack Straw
MUMBAI: House of Commons leader Jack Straw said that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) newsreaders are paid too much. He mocked those journalists who ‘prance’ around TV studios. At the same time, Labour MP Chris Mullin alleged that the tabloid virus is beginning to infect BBC television news.
Straw became the leader of the House of Commons earlier in May. During a debate at the House of Commons, he preferred presenters to actually sit at a desk and read the news.
As reported by BBC News, BBC newsreaders are overpaid and should not ‘prance around studios’, Commons leader Jack Straw has said.
The former foreign secretary said he thought that was what newsreaders were paid for – “and too much”.
A spokesman for BBC News said: “We welcome feedback from all quarters of our audience.”
Straw was responding to Labour MP Chris Mullin, who complained that BBC newscasters “walk around the studio like a couple of ham actors emoting”.
Mullin said: “Can we find time to debate the extent to which the tabloid virus is beginning to infect BBC television news? “Have you noticed that newscasters increasingly no longer read news to camera, but they walk around the studio like a couple of ham actors emoting?
“I think it is called news with attitude.”
Mullin also said the Six O’Clock News was “cynically edited” to delete the fact that the prime minister had quoted former Conservative leader Michael Howard during prime minister’s question time.
“Do you agree with me that if the BBC can’t do better than this it is going to have difficulty justifying its licence fee?” he asked. Straw said he would pass his remarks on but editorial decisions were a matter for the BBC, not for MPs.
“On the issue of accuracy, all journalists, including the BBC, have a responsibility to ensure that quotations are attributed accurately,” he said.
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.
