News Broadcasting
SET witnessing continued fall in ratings
MUMBAI: As far as the ratings go, Sony Entertainment appears to be in a bit of a slump at the moment. If Kahin Na Kahin Koi Hai, SET’s matchmaking blockbuster show hosted by Bollywood screen siren Madhuri Dixit singularly failed to sizzle the charts for the channel, the start has been equally unimpressive for another big ticket programming initiative from the channel – the weekender Kya Hadsa Kya Haqeeqat.
The big budget serial from the Balaji stable that is costing Sony Rs 1 million per episode has failed to register on the Top 100 list. According to market research agency AC Nielsen’s TAM ratings covering all cable and satellite homes (24 panels), for the week from 11 August to 17 August, Sony’s highest rated show was the long running thriller series C.I.D. at 39 with 3.56 TVRs.
Even the Balaji dependables Kkusum and Kutumb have been steadily slipping. Kutumb was at 41 with 3.52 TVRs while Kkusum was at 42 with 3.51 TVRs. The only other show in the Top 100 for Sony was Heena at 89 with 2.72 TVRs.
Speaking about Kya Hadsa, Sunil Lulla, executive V-P – SET, said it was far too early to pass judgment on the show’s performance. Lulla, while admitting that the channel’s ratings had seen a dip in the last three months, was however, quite categorical that the present slump was just a blip on the radar for SET. Lulla maintained that the Kkusum, Kutumb franchises still had positive cachet with audiences and said that the tweaking in the programming already brought about for Kutumb, as well as what was planned for Kkusum, would show results in the coming weeks.
Lulla also expressed confidence that the slew of new shows that would be unveiled over the next few months would reinforce the message that there is freshness and excitement to be had on the channel.
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.
