News Broadcasting
“Friends” to get $750,000 per episode
All you “Friends” lovers here’s an interesting fact which will tell you that it ‘really pays’ to be good friends – pun intended.
The cast of Friends, which will enter into its sixth season, have negotiated a deal with NBC which could well be one of the highest paying deals per episode.
According to the new two-year contract, the cast of Friends, which includes David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox Arquette and Matt LeBlanc, will be getting a package of $750,000 per episode. This is a raise from their $125,000 five-year deal which they signed in 1996. The actors were negotiating as a group for a package of $1 million per new episode.
In addition to the flat rate, the stars of the series will see their share of lucrative syndication rights double from a half point to a full point, according to industry sources. The deal assures NBC of an anchor for its Thursday night showcase through the 2002 television season.
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.
