News Broadcasting
HTMT to merge media units, plans IPO
MUMBAI:Hinduja TMT may merge its media subsidiaries into a single entity and opt for an initial public offering (IPO) by next year.
Chairman Ashok Hinduja announced this at the company’s annual general meeting on Tuesday. Among the companies that will be merged are InNetwork Entertainment Ltd (INEL), Cable Video India Ltd, IndusInd Entertainment Ltd (IEL) and IndusInd Media and Communications Ltd.
While the finer details of the IPO, including the size of the issue, are yet to be worked out, Hinduja said that Shop24Seven, the companys media and e-commerce company, will also go in for an IPO next year. The home shopping satellite TV channel was launched in November 2001. Hinduja said that the shopping channel was set to break even in 10 months of its existence.
HTMT recently acquired 100 per cent equity control in Cable Video India Limited (CVIL) by buying out the 49 per cent stake of Asia Vision Entertainment Private Ltd. CVIL handles the Hindi cable movie channel CVO and has a library of 1,600 movies, while INEL is into production, acquisition and distribution of films. IEL is into local TV content and operates the IN brand of cable TV channels in several languages.
HTMT will continue to focus on its IT business and is aiming at a cent per cent growth in turnover and 70 per cent rise in net profit, Hinduja said. Export earnings from media and IT sector, said Mr Hinduja, are expected to increase from Rs 500 million to Rs 1250 million in the current fiscal.
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.
