News Broadcasting
Colgate to help MTV scout for new veejays
Music channel MTV is beginning its third hunt for veejays in five years.
The nation wide search for fresh young faces to reflect the spirit of the brand got underway on 3 April at a media conference in downtown Mumbai. Colgate-Palmolive’s Fresh Energy Gel has tied up with MTV for the VJ hunt, using its strategic lifestyle marketing approach as a backdrop to the talent search.
True to the MTV image, a mysterious yellow cloaked mascot, called the MTV VJ Hunter, prowled the venue, even as celeb VJs including Cyrus Broacha, Mini and others basked in the spotlight.
The exercise will definitely be no quiet talent search, however. Auditions will be held at local hangouts and clubs in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore and aspirants can even send in their applications on the net. Viewers also get to vote on the finalists, and one lucky voter will get an opportunity to VJ on MTV for a day.
Earlier MTV hunts have produced VJs including Maria Goretti, Nikhil Chinappa, Amrita Arora and Mini. The search this time will not be confined to simple advertising – MTV is targeting print, outdoor and the net with a vengeance. While partner indiatimes.com will provide the Internet platform for interactivity, innovative initiatives including ads on BEST bus tickets and Colgate toothpaste packs are on the cards.
The hunt will yield a maximum of four veejays for the channel, says MTV managing director Alex Kuruvilla, all of whom will be absorbed in the existing 25 shows being aired on the channel, as well as the vignette programming that has commenced on MTV.
MTV, says Kuruvilla is undaunted by the efforts of rival Channel V to grab viewer and media attention. “The MTV Star Hunt and the Video Ga Ga contest have been doing the same exercise”, he says, dismissing the Popstars venture as a one off event that will not make a dent in MTV’s popularity. Robust marketing and a strong programming calendar have ensured its leadership, he says.
Indiatimes.com, however, does not seem to have any qualms about first partnering V’s Popstars and then helping arch rival MTV hunt for veejays. Says CEO Mahendra Swaroop, “We are just a media platform for anyone to make use of.”
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.
