News Broadcasting
India Today Group unleashes five regional AI anchors to team up with Sana
Mumbai: In a historic moment at the 5th India Today Conclave in Mumbai held on 5 October, India Today Group managing director Kalli Purie, joined Sana, India’s First AI anchor, to introduce a cutting-edge roster of AI anchors. Representing diverse regions of India, these AI regional anchors are set to redefine how news is delivered and consumed, marking a significant milestone in newsroom evolution.
The India Today Group ushered in a new era of AI journalism earlier this year when it introduced India’s First AI Anchor, Sana; in March. Since then, Sana has tirelessly delivered 200 hours of programming, transcending various genres, languages, and platforms. In less than six months, Sana has already added several credits to her belt including interacting with PM Modi (first AI Anchor to interact with a head of the state), anchoring a dedicated segment on prime-time, and interacting with global leaders like Brad Smith of Microsoft and Shahrukh Khan.
On the concluding day of India Today Conclave 2023 in Mumbai, Purie took the opportunity to get Sana to introduce a diverse array of AI anchors: SAIli, the pioneering AI Marathi news anchor for Mumbai Tak; AIshwarya, the authoritative Hindi anchor for UP Tak, Bharat Tak, and News Tak; NAIna, the engaging Bhojpuri anchor on Aaj Tak 2; AIna, India’s inaugural Bengali AI anchor on Aaj Tak Bangla; and JAI, the articulate English AI anchor on India Today TV, representing the global perspective.
Speaking about the group’s AI anchors, Purie said, “For the first time in our group’s 48-year history, we’ve taken a leap by creating an anchor from scratch rather than hiring one! These AI Anchors exemplify our unwavering commitment to always looking out for new tech that can enable our newsroom to deliver a richer faster more personalised news experience.
The AI news anchors cater to diverse linguistic communities across the nation, appreciating and understanding their local preferences in terms of content preference, dialect, culture, and language, creating a personal connection with the audience. This strategic move underscores the Group’s dedication to innovation and its commitment to a superior quality audience experience.
AI Anchor profiles
Aaj Tak now has the dynamic AI anchor NAIna, who spearheads the Bhojpuri news segment on the Aaj Tak 2 digital platform. Across India, Bhojpuri-speaking audiences are known to be the raging group driving YouTube-based news consumption. Infused with an innate understanding of the language’s nuances, AI Naina seamlessly captivates audiences, ensuring the delivery of Bhojpuri news with an amalgamation of authenticity and precision.
In a significant stride towards bolstering regional representation, the Mumbai Tak digital platform proudly presents SAIli, its first AI news reader, proficient in Marathi. Saili’s eloquence and understanding of the regional flourish harmoniously resonate with the Marathi audience.
AI anchor AIshwarya brings cheer to the Hindi-speaking audience on News Tak, Bharat Tak and UP Tak. An embodiment of credible journalism and precision reporting, she effortlessly fosters a robust connection with the audience through her seamless news delivery with utmost accuracy.
Possessing absolute proficiency in Bangla and personifying the Bengali culture, AI anchor AIna establishes a compelling bond with viewers who seek news in their native tongue. Her accent, eye for detail, and cultural sensitivity establish an immediate connection with the audience of Aaj Tak Bangla.
JAI, the dashing AI anchor, is at the helm of the English news spectrum analysis on India Today TV. His high-speed data analysis capability for churning out news content that resonates with its audiences nationwide and his innovative storytelling is highly captivating. His mastery of the language and the ease of communication make him dear to his viewers.
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.
