News Broadcasting
Mamta Verma takes charge as director general of DD News
NEW DELHI: Mamta Verma has taken charge as director general of DD News, stepping into one of Indian public broadcasting’s toughest jobs at a moment of sharp scrutiny and rapid change.
A senior Indian Information Service officer, Verma assumes leadership as DD News grapples with a double bind: holding the line on credibility while racing to keep pace with digital disruption and restless viewers. Her appointment signals a push to steady the ship—and modernise it.
Over a long career in government, Verma has held key roles across information, communications and policy. Most recently, she served as joint secretary in the Union ministry of Panchayati Raj, where she worked on strengthening grassroots democracy, decentralisation and the flow of accurate information to citizens.
At DD News, the brief is clear but demanding. Beyond its traditional role as a government broadcaster, the channel is expected to sharpen its editorial edge, expand its national and global outlook, and rebuild trust in an era of noise, speed and scepticism.
The challenge is formidable. The mandate is public. And the clock is already ticking.
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.
