News Broadcasting
‘Simply Shekhar’ centrepiece of 3 new Zee shows set for debut
NEW DELHI:Close on the heels of Sony Entertainment Television (SET) India announcing four new shows, it is the turn of Zee TV to follow suit with three new programmes set to launch over the next few weeks.
Leading the pack for Zee will be The Simply Shekhar Show
(see earlier report Shekhar Suman turns producer with two shows on Zee ).
Zee is promising the show will take Shekhar’s original on SET – Movers & Shakers – a step further. A fun-filled variety entertainment show touching upon contemporary issues ranging from politics, sports, films, television, science and technology, research and weird inventions, music, business, etc within the country and all over the world in a light hearted manner is what The Simply Shekhar Show aims to be.
The other two shows Zee is launching are a soap – Love Marriage – and a gameshow of sorts – Karvaan Kismat Ka.
In The Simply Shekhar Show, apart from the anchor, a live band will share the stage along with three models who will add that touch of glamour.
Segment One will comprise Shekhar’s unique stand-up comedy routines as well as zany video gags and on-set gags featuring the best of comedians (Shekhar may or may not be involved in them).
The stand up jokes will be take offs and spoofs on actual and current news items across the world. Spoofs on ads, misprints in newspapers, topical issues like an invention in US or elsewhere, views expressed by eminent people etc. will be part of this section. All the jokes will make a direct reference to the news items they are based on.
The video gags, onset gags and street gags may or may not be topical in nature though. They may be based on general topics like men, women, relationships, astrology, Feng Shui, travel, fashion, etc. along with the topical stuff.
Segment Two will have celebrity interviews. In this segment, Shekhar will invite a special guest who has been in the news in the recent past. This segment will be a special addition depending on the situation (i.e. if there is any newsmaker worthy of being invited onto the set). Only people who have substantial achievements to their credit will be invited.
Segment Three involves live interaction with viewers, which will be done by Shekhar making random calls to them and conversing with them. It could also be a prank call to a celebrity. Call in facility will be provided on the sets so that viewers can call in on the show.
Special occasions will be created for Shekhar’s interaction with the audience like an auction for the audition and various other gags with audience.
The show – produced by Shekhar for Zee TV – launches 30 July and will air on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10:30 pm.
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.
