News Broadcasting
Uday Nirgudkar joins News18 Lokmat as group editor
MUMBAI: Uday Nirgudkar has joined Network18 as the group editor regional (west) for its Marathi news channel News18 Lokmat. Nirgudkar joins from Zee Media where he was the channel head for Zee24 Taas and CEO and editor-in-chief of DNA, an English newspaper from the same group.
He has more than two decades of experience at leadership positions in various industries like infrastructure, BPO, education and has spent considerable time in media. Nirgudkar is a recipient of many awards for contribution and excellence in journalism. He has authored Marathi bestsellers such as Local-Global CEO and All about Winning Elections.
Nirgudkar is an MBA & PhD from University of Pune & a science graduate from Mumbai University. A prolific speaker and author, he has an excellent understanding of the socio-cultural-political fabric of Maharashtra.
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.
