News Broadcasting
New Palestine TV channel launch fuels controversy as it aims at Arab minority
NEW DELHI: The launch of a new television channel in Palestine appears to be kicking off a new political row in the region, which lives in constant tension.
The launch of Palestine 48, a satellite television channel of the Palestine Authority, aims to reach the 20 per cent Arab minority population in Israel during the month of Ramadan.
The plan was strongly criticized by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said that he had given instructions to Israel’s Communications Ministry to examine the channel for possible criminal and other administrative measures to prevent the channel from getting on air. Incidentally, Netanyahu himself heads the Communications Ministry.
The possibility of jamming the channel may also be considered.
During a press conference, Palestinian Authority Communications Minister Riad Hassan said that Netanyahu and his extremist right-wing government could not shut Palestine 48 down. “The channel will also give a stage to the other side, to right wing people and ministers from the government,” he said.
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.
