News Broadcasting
IOC in $72mn deal with Korean broadcaster
MUMBAI: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded the Olympic broadcast rights in Korea to SBS, the privately-owned terrestrial commercial broadcaster in South Korea. SBS will have all rights on any audiovisual medium in the territory.
The agreement, valued at $ 33 million for Vancouver 2010 and London 2012, and $ 39.5 million for the 2014 and 2016 Games, includes for the first time Olympic coverage in both North and South Korea. It also shows a significant increase of 109 per cent from the current broadcast rights agreement (2002–2008) with the Korean Pool which runs until the Olympic Games in Beijing.
In line with the IOC’s policy to ensure maximum coverage and exposure for the Olympic Games broadcast, the agreement ensures that 250 hours of the Olympic Games and 150 hours of the Olympic Winter Games are broadcast on Korean free-to-air channels, along with an “Olympic Games’ Daily Highlights” programme, which will be shown in prime time.
IOC president Jacques Rogge said, “This significant agreement is an excellent outcome for the IOC and for the people of Korea, who are avid Olympic Games fans. This deal ensures a broader reach and greater coverage with a dedicated and enthusiastic new broadcast partner. This deal will mark the end of our relationship with the Korea Pool. We look forward to their collaboration on the Beijing Games and thank them for their partnership in previous Games”.
IOC executive board member Richard Carrión, who led the TV rights negotiations in Korea, said, “Korea is arguably the world’s most advanced media market in terms of broadband penetration and early adoption of new technologies. This new contract with SBS will allow the deployment of a full spectrum of new media rights as well as extending the coverage of Olympic Games into North Korea. The financial aspects are also favourable for the Olympic Movement. We are very pleased with this outcome.”
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.
