News Broadcasting
NDTV to use Discreet for promos, packaging
MUMBAI: NDTV is moving into high gear as far as the rollout plans for its soon to launched English and Hindi news channels are concerned. Three days after ads appeared seeking fresh personnel, it was announced yesterday that NDTV had opted for Discreet’s top of the line systems to enable it to create promos and packaging for its content as well as channel branding.
With this new acquisition, NDTV upgrades its broadcast and production capabilities to include inferno (visual effects), flame (online digital visual effects and compositing system for 2K, HD and 601) and smoke (online creative non-linear HD and 601 editing/finishing system), an official release states. NDTV will be phasing out its existing Quantel systems, PaintBox and EditBox, in use for the last five to six years. The Discreet systems are expected to be installed and ready for production by the end of November.
“NDTV is the first Indian broadcaster to invest in such high-end systems. This move indicates the level of maturity the Indian television content industry is reaching,” Pankaj Kedia, regional manager, South Asia, Discreet, was quoted as saying in the release. “With this acquisition, Discreet expects that NDTV will set new standards in the Indian television industry.”
“After careful evaluation, we found that Discreet systems offer the best creative environment with the most sophisticated visual effects tools, which we will use to give our channels a new and unique look,” NDTV promoter Dr Prannoy Roy was quoted as saying.
NDTV has identified promos and packaging as huge drivers for channels to create content that’s visually compelling, and Discreet systems will help NDTV make the difference, the release says.
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.
