News Broadcasting
CNN goes the Thai way
MUMBAI: CNN has announced a series of specials later this month that will focus on popular tourist destination Thailand.
Anchor/correspondent Lian Pek talks to business leaders and entrepreneurs and examines various business stories from inside the country from 14 to 18 October, in a series of special reports. The topics range from pizzas, the country’s film industry to the threat of music piracy.
On 14 October, Copyright Fee Controversy take centrestage. The land of the pirated CD in Thailand is struggling to come to terms with paying copyright fees as some of the country’s biggest music companies vow to collect fees from entertainment businesses that use their recordings. The Thai government has also been lobbied to set up a one-stop collection center. CNN will examine this controversial collection drive in this special report.
Pizza Warrior airs on 15 October. A longtime foreign investor in Thailand, Bill Heinecke is in charge of the Minor Group, which used to have a decades-old relationship with Pizza Hut. Heinecke discusses his vision on doing business in the country and his newly set up pizza chain, Pizza Company.
The next day Challenging CEOs features an interview with the Chairman and CEO of the C.P. Group – Dhanin Chearavanont. He is Thailands leading agri-businessman, who made this year’s Forbes list of billionaires.
New Karaoke Trend sees Pek looking into the latest karaoke trend in Thailand. Coin-operated booths in department stores are getting more popular, making karaoke as much a daytime activity as a nighttime activity. The new phenomenon is filling the gap between the upmarket lounges and roadside foodstalls with karaoke facilities. CNN takes a close look at how this business is flourishing.
The programmes end with Thai Film Industry Revival on 18 October. The revival of the Thai film industry in recent years is encouraging entertainment companies to invest more in local productions. Some of these productions are earning international recognition. In this special report, CNN looks at the health of the film industry in Thailand.
The shows air on News Biz Today: Monday to Friday at 6 am (live) as well as Biz Asia: Monday to Friday at 7:30 pm (live), with repeats at 9 pm Hong Kong 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.
