News Broadcasting
Prasar Bharati looks for exclusive OTT partner to bring ‘Swaraj’ to global audience
Mumbai: Prasar Bharati has invited applications from OTT platforms for the exclusive global licence for its programme Swaraj for three-years. The bidding process will be done via e-auction.
The public broadcaster set the reserve price for 75-episode Hindi programme at Rs 26.25 crore plus GST. Any incremental bid beyond the reserve price must be Rs 5 lakh and multiples thereof. The last date for submission for the applications is 4 August.
Produced by Contiloe Pictures, the series was announced by minister of information and broadcasting (MIB) Anurag Thakur on 25 July and is scheduled to telecast on Doordarshan network on 14 August on the eve of India’s 75th year of independence.
The programme commissioned by Prasar Bharati is focused on the unsung heroes and battles of India’s independence all across the country. Originally produced in Hindi, the series will also be dubbed in English and nine other languages including Marathi, Odia, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Assamese and Gujarati.
On winning the bid for the programme, the OTT platform shall be authorised to upload and store the series on its server for the purpose of transmitting the programme to audiences via the OTT platform, either free of cost or behind the paywall, as per the terms and conditions of the licence agreement.
Each episode of the programme will be available on the OTT platform after 48 hours of its first telecast on Doordarshan network.
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.
