News Broadcasting
Pulitzer-winning commentator Thomas Friedman to host Discovery specials
Discovery Channel has announced that Thomas Friedman, New York Times columnist and winner of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize, for commentary will be hosting a series of special world premiere documentaries. They will air quarterly on the channel from next year. The programmes will provide a new forum for Friedman’s authoritative insight into world affairs and provide a deeper understanding of modern times.
Production of the first special is slated to begin this fall. The programmes to focus on evolving world events, will feature on-site reporting, access to world leaders, political and social experts and other key newsmakers. Discovery will co-produce the specials with New York Times Television, the documentary production unit of The Times, an official release states.
Friedman received the Pulitzer prize this month in recognition for extensive reporting, in commenting on the worldwide impact of the terrorist threat. He also won Pulitzer Prizes for international reporting from Lebanon (1983) and Israel (1988).
Earlier this month, The New York Times Company and Discovery Communications had announced a joint venture to co-own and develop Discovery Civilisation Channel into a leading network for programming on history and current events. At that time the two companies also announced a programming output agreement under which DCI will produce and purchase programming from New York Times Television over the next five years.
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.
