News Broadcasting
Post Reliance Industries’ takeover, ICRA revises Network18’s ratings
MUMBAI: It was only a few days ago that Reliance Industries announced the takeover of Network18, and the effects of the acquisition can already be seen. In a statement to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the media house has said that independent and professional investment and credit rating agency ICRA has revised its current ratings of the company.
Network18 media and investments’ long term rating has been changed from ICRA BBB+ to ICRA A. Meanwhile its short term rating which was at ICRA A2+ is now at ICRA A1+. This for Rs 140 crore bank facilities of the company. “The outlook on the long-term ratings is revised from ‘stable’ to ‘positive’,” states the announcement.
The fixed deposit programme of the company has been revised from MA- to MA with its outlook on the medium term rating revised from ‘stable’ to ‘positive’. The commercial paper of Rs 100 crore of the company was reaffirmed as ICRA A1+.
On the other hand, Network18’s subsidiary TV18 also saw its ratings being revised. The credit rating for the fixed deposit of the company has been revised from MA- to MA with medium term outlook changed from ‘stable’ to ‘positive’.
The long-term rating for bank facilities of Rs 370 crore of the company has from ICRA BBB+ changed to ICRA A. Outlook on long-term rating is revised from ‘stable’ to ‘positive’.
Credit rating for the commercial paper of Rs 200 crore has been reaffirmed as ICRA A1+.
Reliance Industries has now given an open offer that will go on till July.
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.
