News Broadcasting
Star pursues Indiatimes viewers for Temptation Island feedback
Star seems bent on getting viewers’ opinion on every issue related to the reality show Temptation Island it has started airing on Star World.
Although an overwhelming 58 per cent of responses to the online poll Star conducted on Indiatimes voted against an Indian version of the show, the channel is not giving up. The channel has initiated a new poll asking viewers if they would prefer the desi version to be shot in Goa. Interestingly, the less-than-a-week old poll has received a stout 71 per cent endorsement. Only 29 per cent of those who cast their vote in the online poll said they would not prefer Goa as the locale where the reality show, just two weeks old on the channel, could be shot. Two per cent of the voters had earlier said that they were not sure, and 41 per cent had given a thumbs down sign to an Indian version.
The channel pushed ahead with the launch of Temptation Island on 23 November, even though one of its earlier Indiatimes polls perched precariously at 50-50. Only half the number of voters had said that India was ready for a show like Temptation Island.
Obviously, the channel feels that those who log on to Indiatimes are the viewers most likely to watch shows like Temptation Island. That explains another poll that appeared on the site some week ago, asking voters whether they would like to watch Temptation Island at 10:00 pm on Thursdays. Sixty-five per cent of the voters had approved of the time slots.
When the show launched in America in January 2001, it got high ratings amidst shocking reviews and strong criticism. Aired on Fox channel, the series had the highest ratings in more than six years among adults in the 18-34 demographic. As for India, only two episodes have been aired so it’s early days. However, if the first show’s ratings are anything to go by there is still a long haul ahead. AC Nielsen’s TAM data gave it a 0.08 TVR while ORG MARG’s INTAM gave it a 0.14 TVR (all-India C&S homes 4+).
Meanwhile, the information and broadcasting ministry which had said it would be closely monitoring the show for indecent exposure (remember the pre launch campaign that went – Lust, sex, betrayal ) does not seem to have found anything objectionable in the content of the show.
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.
