News Broadcasting
B’cast Bill: Film censor board chief seeks clarifications
NEW DELHI: Indian film censor board chief and veteran actress Sharmila Tagore today exhorted the government to remove overlaps in the functioning of censor board and a proposed broadcast regulator.
She also called for “transparency” while forming the proposed Broadcast Regulatory Authority of India (Brai).
“There has to be some sort of uniformity at some level… and identify where there are some overlaps,” Tagore, chairperson of the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC), was quoted by the Press Trust of India as saying.
She, along with some other government officials and industry representatives were participating in a day-long seminar on the draft ‘Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill – 2006’, which was organized by industry chamber Assocham.
Tagore’s apprehensions stems from the fact that the censor board and the proposed Brai might end up doing similar works like certifying content for television channels.
In the absence of a regulatory body, the government has mandated that only `U’ (or for unrestricted viewing) censor certified films promos, music videos and songs should be aired on TV music channels.
Information and broadcasting secretary S K Arora assured the industry gathering that the government was open to suggestions and comments on the proposed Brai and the Bill.
“The government is open to suggestions and can incorporate fresh ideas and issues we may have omitted (earlier in a draft that was readied for the Cabinet),” 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.
