News Broadcasting
Guest column: Perception sales key to news channels’ revenue
A question often crosses most aware minds……where exactly do the viewer’s consume news? A large part of news viewership comes from out-of-home venues-offices, stock broking firms, airports, railway stations, retail shops-which are not measured by audience-measurement BARC that we refer to for viewership.
Therefore, if you ask me, it is perception all the way.
Having said that, India is a news-hungry nation, which is why it is also the most cluttered in terms of number of active players but the beauty is that there is place for everyone and even more. News is a continuously evolving and growing sector that strives for innovation all the time.
The impact caused by news channels is immense as news amplifies the happenings and events. While all other genres may be facing a threat or slightly negative implications with digital gaining strength, news channels have benefitted from it. I believe all media websites clubbed with all social media apps/sites, etc. help to lead traffic to News channels. While all news breaks on digital platforms, immediately, to get more information, one turns to news channels and the channels that provide more credible and correct information win in the pecking order.
Demand and supply is the simplest, age-old model that holds true even today and will remain. This is the fundamental law on which the industry works and news channels, too, are not an exception to this.
Last but not the least, for a news channel, it’s the brand ambassadors that are the face of channels/networks and they are the ones who help sustain their perception. It is this sales force from the head to the executive that makes numbers happen.
 The author is the CEO of Forbes India and president – revenue, Network18. The views expressed here are his own and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them. |
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.
