News Broadcasting
BBC World, World Service to merge in December
NEW DELHI: The BBC will create a single integrated BBC international news and information division from December, bringing together BBC World Service and BBC World following approval by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for the incorporation of BBC World as a separate company.
The announcement in the UK, which came on October 14, also said the aim of the new division, announced last year, is to create a clearer, coordinated presence in the international media marketplace, improving the impact of BBC services and journalism with global audiences, according to an official statement from the BBC.
The new division will be formally established on 1 December this year. It will be led by Mark Byford as Director, World Service and Global News, and will include BBC World Service radio, BBC World television and the BBC’s international facing online news services. He will develop the BBC’s overall international news strategy and ensure greater editorial, marketing and audience research coordination to deliver a more integrated BBC news strategy around the world.
The new division will work in partnership with BBC News, which will continue to provide core newsgathering, English language news and current affairs programmes in radio and television and the international facing online news site in English.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which funds the World Service through grant-in-aid, has been fully consulted about the proposition and is supportive of the development. BBC World, the international news and information television channel funded by advertising and subscription, will remain a commercial service. The separate identities of the two services and their different funding streams will be respected.
BBC World will no longer be a part of the BBC’s commercial arm BBC Worldwide Ltd. The BBC will establish BBC World Ltd as a new subsidiary of the newly established commercial holding company BBC Commercial Holdings Ltd., the statement said.
BBC World Ltd will fully comply with the BBC’s Commercial Policy Guidelines and Fair Trading Commitment, UK and EU competition law, and all other relevant regulatory requirements.
Mark Byford, Director of BBC World Service and Global News in the statement said: “The new division brings a golden opportunity for the BBC to strengthen its reputation as the best known and most respected international news broadcaster, across radio, television and new media. I’m determined to build on the impact made by the BBC’s international news services in the past year and develop a coordinated global news strategy to enhance our reputation, reach, relevance and impact around the world.”
The BBC World Service is a leading international broadcaster, attracting audiences of 150 million listeners each week. It is rapidly developing into a multimedia broadcaster, using radio and the internet, for all its 43 language services. It is funded by grant-in-aid from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The grant for 2002/3 is 201m.
In the UK, World Service is available on 648 MW in Southern England. In addition, overnight on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Ulster and across the UK via digital radio, digital satellite and the Internet. Outside the UK, BBC World Service is available on short wave; on FM in more than 130 capital cities; and selected programmes are carried on almost 2,000 FM and MW radio stations around the world. High quality reception of World Service programmes is available via satellite in Europe and North America. It can be heard on the BBC’s digital multiplex in the UK, or in Europe on the Astra satellite, channel 865.
BBC World is at the heart of the BBC’s vision for global news leadership. BBC World is the BBC’s 24-hour, English language, international news and information television channel, reaching 222 million homes in 200 countries and territories worldwide. Launched in its present format in 1995, BBC World is a commercial service.
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.
