News Broadcasting
Twentieth Century Fox television distribution & Starz sign licensing pact
MUMBAI: A new multi-year licensing deal sees hundreds of movies from the Twentieth Century Fox Television distribution library airing commercial-free on the Starz and Encore premium channels.
The agreement also includes associated HD, on-demand and authenticated online offerings. Titles included as part of the pact are Big Momma’s House, 2001’s Planet of the Apes, Cheaper By the Dozen, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Fight Club and many others.
“Consumers have long-subscribed to the Starz family of premium services thanks to the depth and breadth of its quality movie product. This agreement with Fox will fortify our pipeline of popular theatrical library content through the end of the decade and is a great complement to our exclusive originals, first-run movies, and other popular movie fare,” said business and legal affairs executive VP of acquisitions Michael Thornton.
“Encompassing a deep collection of hundreds of films including such highlights as movies from the Ice Age, X-Men and Home Alone franchises, as well as There’s Something About Mary and Alien, these timeless hits will be a great addition for our loyal subscribers.” Thornton added.
Twentieth Century Fox television distribution executive VP of worldwide pay television and SVOD Gina Brogi commented, “We are very pleased to extend our relationship with Starz and thrilled that they will have an opportunity to access so many great films from Fox’s extensive library.”
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.
