News Broadcasting
NBC’s Sci Fi channel inks multimedia deal with Virgin Comics
MUMBAI: Sci Fi Channel, an NBC Universal network, is teaming up with Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Comics to create a co-branded multimedia partnership called Sci Fi/Virgin Comics.
With five new comic book titles serving as a jumping off point, Sci Fi/Virgin Comics will develop fresh properties that integrate the spirit and vitality of both brands. Delivering innovative, multi-platform projects, original concepts will be considered across all mediums from publishing, film and television to digital and gaming.
The announcement was made today by, Sci Fi Executive Vice President and general manager Dave Howe and Virgin Comics CEO and publisher Sharad Devarajan at New York Comic Con, the season’s pop culture and comic book event.
The first Sci Fi/Virgin titles, distributed by Diamond Comics, can be expected to hit shelves later this year, informs an official release.
“Virgin Comics and I are delighted to collaborate with Sci Fi and the rest of the NBC Universal family,” said Sir Richard Branson, “to create stories that will inspire a new generation of thinkers and dreamers throughout the world.”
“Sci Fi/Virgin Comics marks an important step in our strategy to extend the Sci Fi brand into new cross-media platforms. We’re thrilled to be partnering with Virgin Comics to create exciting new titles, characters and stories that can live beyond the pages of the comic book,” added Howe. “Virgin is the perfect brand to help us connect with the youth audience around the world.”
“With Sci Fi we are changing the face of the comic book industry – seamlessly developing characters and stories for books, television, online and other media,” said Devarajan. “Together we are creating stories as innovative as the ways consumers will get to experience them.”
Utilizing the global creative and synergistic resources that exist both at Sci Fi Channel and Virgin Comics, the partnership will aim to attract some of the biggest names and talent from the worlds of comic books, television and movies. Sci Fi and Virgin Comics will bring together a multimedia, creative editorial board with members representing comic books, television, movies, digital, gaming, licensing and merchandising.
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.
