News Broadcasting
Its poaching season for news channels
NEW DELHI: For those active in the electronic medium and TV journalists, it seems happy days are here again. And for broadcasters and TV software companies, it is also poaching time.
The latest, according to the capital’s grapevine, to do the hop, step and jump is Dibang who has left Aaj Tak to join as executive editor at NDTV which probably is preparing for life after Star post 31 March, 2003.
It is also being said here at the Press Club of India, a place where gossip flies thick and fast, that along with Dibang, a former Times of India journalist and a few others from Aaj Tak may also go. Though not confirmed, but the names doing the rounds of those who may leave Aaj Tak for other pastures include that of news anchors Nagma and Prasoon Pandey.
While Star India is fast recruiting people from the print and the electronic medium (Gaurav Sawant, formerly on the defence beat at the Indian Express in Delhi, is already said to have left for training abroad for Star’s news channel), NDTV does not seem to be far behind.
In recent times, not only has it recruited people for its news portal, ndtv.com, but is also wooing people for its proposed Hindi and English channels slated to be launched next year. Apart from Dibang, Ajit Sahi is also reported to be joining NDTV. Sahi, a former executive producer with the defunct Business India TV, had been working with India Abroad News Service (IANS).
Sahara, in the meanwhile, too has been getting newspersons in place for its proposed state-specific news channels. In recent times some people from Jain TV, have reportedly joined Sahara Samay (news) family.
But what is exciting print medium journalists that they suddenly see opportunities at their existing place of work and also in TV. Newspaper offices on the Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, the Fleet Street of Delhi, these days are agog with talks as to who is going where and who is getting a promotion subsequent to people leaving for TV.
The mantra these days in journalistic circles is: make hay while the (TV) sun shines.
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.
