News Broadcasting
Times Now continues undisputed leadership
Mumbai: Asserting its dominance as the election news headquarters, Times Now emerged as the preferred news destination during the six-week polling phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Commanding the electoral landscape with extensive election reportage, and curated programming, Times Now led with a 29 per cent market share (BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| Wk.16-21’24) and garnered an impressive 31 per cent market share (BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| Wk.21’24, Weekdays 2000-2300hrs) in primetime viewership outpacing its competitors.
Viewership Shares – Wk.16-21 2024
Source: BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| Wk.16-21’24
Prime Time Shares
Source: BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| Wk.21’24, Weekdays 2000-2300hrs
As the elections advanced in phases, on the 5th phase of polling day, May 20, 2024, Times Now demonstrated its leadership by securing an impressive 27% viewership share (BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| 20th May 2024) reinforcing its dominance even on polling days.
5th Polling Day – 20th May 2024
Source: BARC| 10L+| NCCS AB 22+| 20th May 2024
Election news coverage on Times Now set a new benchmark in reportage, offering viewers comprehensive and engaging content throughout the electoral process. The channel’s strategic content included flagship shows like India Upfront and The Newshour; exclusive interviews with top political leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, which were top picks among viewers. In a series of firsts for the channel, the special election programming featured engaging shows such as Election Premier League, Public Manch, and National Debate that encouraged critical thinking and active engagement in the democratic process, solidifying Times Now’s position as the go-to choice for election coverage. Enhancing the election coverage, the innovative ‘Election Yatra’ mobile studio travelled across the country, capturing the essence of democracy through interviews and on-ground talk shows.
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.
