News Broadcasting
CNBC-AWAAZ readies big-budget playbook for Union Budget 2026
MUMBAI: When the finance minister opens the red briefcase on February 1, CNBC-AWAAZ plans to open the numbers for everyone else. As India counts down to the Union Budget 2026–27, the business news channel has unveiled a high-decibel coverage plan built around a punchy theme, Aatma Nirbhar Bharat ka Dum.
The Budget, India’s most closely watched financial event, shapes everything from household savings and taxation to jobs, prices and long-term security. CNBC-AWAAZ says its focus this year will be on cutting through jargon and spreadsheets to explain what the Budget really means on the ground for investors, entrepreneurs and middle-class families alike.
A dedicated editorial team will decode announcements in real time, backed by a week of pre- and post-Budget programming. The channel’s coverage will track how policy choices strengthen self-reliance across sectors such as manufacturing, infrastructure, MSMEs, startups, agriculture, defence, energy, technology and financial inclusion.
True to its investor-first DNA, the programming will zoom in on issues that matter to everyday decision-makers from tax relief and savings to jobs, consumption and market sentiment. Expect sharp debates on Make in India, domestic manufacturing, exports, ease of doing business and wealth creation, alongside clear-eyed analysis of market reactions.
Budget Day will bring a heavy-hitting expert line-up to the screen. Market veterans, fund managers and tax specialists will weigh in through the day, while the channel’s popular Tech Panchayat will run from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm, tracking live market moves and trading strategies as the numbers drop.
Adding a digital twist, CNBC-AWAAZ is also rolling out a “Budget Booster” format, blending television with social media updates to keep viewers plugged in across screens.
The idea, the channel says, is simple: make sense of the Budget without dumbing it down. Or as the theme suggests, show the muscle behind India’s self-reliance story, one line item at a time.
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.
