News Broadcasting
International Emmys judging: BAG Films’ ‘Siddhant’ through to Finals
MUMBAI: The Indian entertainment industry is looking at a brighter tomorrow as BAG Films’ Siddhant has qualified in the drama category for the final of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ 34th International Emmy Awards.
The semi final round was conducted in Mumbai today and saw a 19-member jury scan entries in four categories – comedy, non-scripted entertainment, drama series and children and young people (the latter two being new additions from last year’s judging).
India is among a select few countries like Germany, New Zealand, Australia, Qatar and Greece to host the semi final rounds of this event. The jury comprised different representatives from the television fraternity in India including Abhimanyu Singh, Archana Puran Singh, Ashwini Yardi, Asit Modi, Ketki Dave, Mandira Bedi, Monisha Singh, Nachiket Pantvaidya, R D Tailang, Ravi Kiran, Ram Kapoor, Ravina Raj Kohli, Ritu Goel, Sanjeev Sharma, Shristi Arya, Siddharth Kak, Smriti Irani, Supriya Pathak and Suresh Bala.
In essence there seemed to be a consensus among jury members that there was a dearth of Indian content due to sheer lack of awareness among producers and TV channels alike.
International Emmy Awards Semi-Finals host Anil Wanvari with International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences director, Emmy judging, Sandy Clark.
Speaking to Indiantelevison.com, Walt Disney Television International (India) executive director production and programming Nachiket Pantvaidya said, “Asian content was quite good as there seems to be a trend in programming particularly around the theme of magic and fantasy. However, Indian content was highly under represented.”
Having been on the jury last year as well, Contiloe Films Pvt Ltd CEO Abhimanyu Singh was of the opinion, “Indian entries are at par with the rest. However, there is a greater need to drive the Emmy’s forward through better marketing of the brand, to encourage greater participation.”
In response to the jury’s plea for greater awareness in terms of the procedure to enter the competition, the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences director, Emmy judging, Sandy Clark told this website, “There is a misconception that the Emmy’s is only open to US programming. However, there are no restrictions and thus broadcasters, directors, distributors and producers can all enter. We spread awareness through our website, via email and through events like Mipcom and MipTV to encourage entries from across the globe.”
Hopefully this year’s win, combined with word-of-mouth will provide an impetus to more Indian producers and TV channels to make a bigger entry next year. Speaking about B.A.G. Films’ achievement, Indiantelevision.com CEO and International Emmy Semi Final host Anil Wanvari said, “Siddhant making it to the final speaks volumes for Indian content and this will hopefully facilitate greater participation next year.”
The entries in the remaining categories shortlisted for the final round are as follows:
Comedy – War of the In Laws, TV Broadcasters Ltd, Hong Kong, China
Non-Scripted Entertainment – 1. Wisholang (My Wish) – Papawad (Forgiveness), GM Networks, Philippines
2. Viking Family Special, Fuji Network Corp, Japan
Children and Young People – 1. My Perfect Partner, Media Corp, Singapore
2. Advengers, TV Asahi Corp, Japan
Drama – 1. Home Affairs, Penguin Films, South Africa
2. Siddhant B.A.G Films, India
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.
