News Broadcasting
Prasun Bajpai, two top editors quit Sahara Samay
NEW DELHI: In a sudden development, Punya Prasun Bajpai, along with two top members of the editorial team, has exited the Sahara group’s flagship Hindi news channel Samay.
Bajpai, Sanjay Bragta and Narendra Pratap Singh, the numbers one, two and three at the channel, resigned and left the office this afternoon. It is also learnt that a total of eight people have left, though their names were not available at the time of filing this report.
Both Bajpai and the channel admitted to the developments, though details of the reasons behind it were sketchy.
However, it is learnt that there was a lengthy meeting between the top officials of the company and the channel heads, apparently to see if a compromise could be worked out. The meeting ended in the resignation of the three top men.
When contacted, Sumit Roy, who heads the news business for Sahara, had this to offer. “They were asked to resign because of non-performance and serious dispute with the management. We were not getting the TRPs and channel share, and this was unworkable.”
Defended Bajpai: “We were given the responsibility of improving the channel and bringing in credibility. We had taken several radical steps to professionalise the channel. It is there for all to see. So if they now say it was non-performance, that is their version of things, I have nothing to say.”
It was during Bajpai’s stint that Sahara Samay dropped the name ‘Sahara’ and donned a new look.
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.
