News Broadcasting
Insat-3C in geo-stationary orbit, solar arrays deployed
The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) latest multi-purpose geostationary satellite, Insat 3C, has been successfully maneuvered to move it into geo-stationary orbit. The satellite will be ready for use by month-end, Isro chairman K Kasturirangan, has been quoted as saying, with 30 more transponders being added to the capacity.
The first manoeuvre was carried out on 25 January that raised the orbit from 570 km to 9,350 km. The second manoeuvre was carried out on 26 January to raise the orbit to 18,340 km while the third was carried out on 28 January raising the orbit to 32,448 km. The last manoeuvre was on 30 January bringing the satellite to near geo-stationary orbit. The satellite is currently at 63 deg East longitude and drifting at 2 deg per day towards its designated orbital slot at 74 deg East longitude.
Meanwhile, the deployment of Insat-SC’s appendages was completed on 31 January 31. First the solar array on the south side of the satellite was deployed followed by the deployment of the antenna on the west side at 10:35 am.. The solar array on the north side of the satellite was deployed at 11:47 am and finally the antenna on the east side was deployed at 12:21 pm. Insat-3C has since been put in its final three axis stabilised mode on 1 February.
All the systems of Insat-3C have been performing as per predictions. The satellite has 488 kg fuel left on board which will be sufficient for its design life of 12 years, an official Isro statement says.
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.
