News Broadcasting
TV Today scrip soars on Reliance Capital offer
MUMBAI: With TV Today Network shares shooting up, Anil Ambani’s Reliance Capital may find it difficult to attract investors for an open offer as it bids to increase stake in the news broadcasting company.
The scrip jumped 5 per cent today to close at Rs 147.15 on the BSE, higher than the offer price for 20 per cent stake at Rs 130.50 per share. Reliance Capital, in fact, had set the price seven per cent below TV Today’s Tuesday market closing at Rs 140.2.
Though the offer would open later from 6-to-25 June, analysts expect the price of TV Today to stay firm. Investors may want to sell now at a higher price or hold on with the hope that the scrip would climb as the offer date opens.
“The price at Rs 130.50 is seen as too low to attract investors. It is not an aggressive bid and needs to be revised for having any serious selling interest from existing shareholders,” says an analyst at a broking firm.
Reliance already has 11.93 per cent in TV Today after a recent purchase in the open market. The interest to hike up stake, analysts say, is partly due to the suppressed scrip price of TV Today which runs a clutch of news channels including the Hindi market leader Aaj Tak.
Reliance would have to pay Rs 1.5 billion for the 20 per cent offer. For a similar stake in rival news broadcasters like NDTV and Global Broadcast News (CNN-IBN), the financial services firm controlled by the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group would have had to cough out more.
Analysts dismiss the possibility of a takeover with the promoters of TV Today controlling 55.69 per cent stake in the company. “Reliance Capital is, perhaps, sending signals that they are interested in the TV company in some form. It could be as financial investors. But if they sense an opportunity, they may move in,” analysts say.
In an official statement, Reliance Capital has clarified its position. “We have strong confidence in the future prospects and growth potential of TV Today, and wish to increase our stake beyond the threshold of 15 per cent specified under the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) takeover regulations. For meeting the procedural requirements, we are making an open offer to facilitate the increase in shareholding beyond 15 per cent. This will not result in any change in the management and / or control of TV Today.”
Reliance Capital has equity in several media and entertainment companies including TV18, NDTV and GBN. It acquired a majority stake in Adlabs Films and Synergy Communications and has expressed interest to grow in this sector.
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.
