News Broadcasting
Sahara rings in 2003 with host of new shows, lineup revamp
MUMBAI: The Hindi general entertainment scene will see serious action at the start of 2003. First, Star unperturbed by the upcoming World Cup hoopla announced that it planned to air six shows. Not to be left behind, rival Sahara has announced shows which promise to change the way viewers perceive the channel. The shows run the gamut from comedy to drama to music. The channel has also rescheduled the timings of some the shows currently running.
One of the major offerings is a weekly serial based on Indian war heroes Mission Fateh — which will be covering actual missions undertaken by brave officers of the Indian Army during wars and counter – insurgency operations. Extensively shot in border areas, the serial also highlights the emotional side of soldiers on the front. The show starts 24 January and will air Fridays at 9.30 pm.
The musically inclined can tune into the countdown show Hello . Hosted by the VJ Ruby Bhatia, of MAX’s Extraaa Innings fame, it will start from 2 January. This will be aired Thursday to Sunday at 7 pm. An official release informs that the show has been produced by Prime Media Max who has earlier made successful shows such as Tu Tu Main Main, Hum Saath Aath Hain, Gharwali Uparwali.
The channel has also decided to convert the weekly serial Zindagi Teri Meri Kahani, to a daily. From 6 January the family drama will air Monday-Friday at 9 pm. Sahara has also siad that it has made the timing and frequency of some dailies more convenient to provide a week-round entertainment offering a variety to its viewers at prime time.
Shubh Mangal Savadhan becomes a four-day daily comedy from 6 Jan. Featuring Dilip Joshi and Sumit Raghavan, it will air Monday to Thursday at 7.30 pm. The same day Kagaz Ki Kashtti becomes a five-day daily serial. Featuring Bhagyashree and Govind Namdeo it airs Monday to Friday at 8.30 pm. Parchhaiyan with Milind Gunaji, Reena Wadhwa will aiir Monday to Thursday at 9.30 pm.
Woh Kaun? with Nirmal Pandey, Niki Aneja will now air Monday to Thursday at 10.30 pm. Virasaat becomes a four day serial from 20 January. It precedes Woh Kaun? at 10 pm
The channel has also revamped its film timings based on feedback from the Bollywood buff. It has changed its timings for its evening Hindi blockbuster movies. These would now be aired at 7.30 pm on Saturday and Sunday. The channel also has plans to air serials with major Bollywood stars like Karisma Kapoor, Sridevi.
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.
