News Broadcasting
Zee launching 2 shows on 28 March
MUMBAI: Sunday’s are special at Zee too. Although the channel is keeping it hush-hush on this one, it will be debuting two new shows on Sunday 28 March.
While sitcom Hum Sab Barati will debut in the 8 pm slot, replacing Chausath Panne’s current series Aandhi, the next edition of Chausath Panne, Lavanya , will debut at 8:30 on the same day.
Produced by erstwhile writer- lyricist- director Sanjay Chhel, Hum Sab… is a comedy starring Dilip Joshi and Tiku Talsnia. Penned by Chhel himself, the sitcom is about a Barati family.
Given his track record in comedy writing, television serials like Naya Nukkad, Filmi Chakkar, Philips Top Ten, Mast Mast Hai Zindagi, Dekh Tamaasha Dekh, Sahara’s latest Malini Iyer and blockbuster films like Rangeela, Yes Boss, Daud, Kacche Dhaage, Pehla Nasha, One Two Ka Four, Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaye, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani and Halo, the latest offering from the king of one-liners should be a rib tickling experience.
While Aandhi, Chausath Panne’s current series was to wind up on 3 March, the channel gave the series an eight episode extension. Despite constant prodding, the channel chose to remain tight lipped on the developments. But according to an industry sources, the channel plans to announce the launch of the new series as well as its new movie acquisitions with a big promotional blitz.
As for Lavanya, the 64-episode series is said to be taking a cue from the classic Dev Anand-Nutan romantic movie. Starring Shilpa Saklani and Rohit Bakshi, the series is being produced by Moving Pictures in association with Rajeev Mehta promoted Dream Team. While both the screen play and the direction is by Habib, Mohit Jha is the episodic director.
Deviating from the usual melodrama’s, the series is said to be a far cry from the extended family saga since it has stayed clear of the screen mothers-fathers- grandmothers routine. Additionally, the lead actors Saklani (Ganga of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhie Bahu Thi) and Bakshi (Piyush of Kahiin To Hoga) will portray contemporary girl and guy next door characters.
In a bid to augment its comedy band, the channel will also be airing Moving Picture-Dream Team’s next Adal Badal, a four day comedy starring Vinay Pathak and Sumeet Raghvan.
Besides, the channel has already introduced Mahesh Thakur to the cast of its critically acclaimed serial Astitva- Ek prem kahani. Thakur plays Dr Simran aka Niki Aneja’s former love interest Abhi.
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.
