News Broadcasting
Network18 tightens grip on digital news as YouTube viewership soars
Strong election coverage and category leadership fuel Network18’s growth
NEW DELHI: When it comes to digital news, Network18 appears to be playing the long game and winning it too. Fresh audience data for May 2026 shows that Network18 has strengthened its position across key news categories, extending its lead in Hindi, English, business and regional news through a portfolio that includes CNBC-TV18, CNBC-AWAAZ, CNN-News18, News18 India, Moneycontrol, Firstpost and Forbes India.
According to Playboard data for the period between May 1 and May 31, News18 India remained the dominant force in Hindi digital news. The channel amassed 2.02 billion YouTube views during the month, comfortably ahead of rival Aaj Tak, which recorded 967 million views. The strong performance underscores the channel’s growing appeal among Hindi-speaking audiences seeking updates on politics, elections, governance and national affairs.
The network also maintained its edge in business journalism. In the English-language business news segment, CNBC-TV18 generated 83 million views, significantly ahead of NDTV Profit, which recorded 46 million views during the same period. Meanwhile, CNBC-AWAAZ led the Hindi business news category with 84 million views, outperforming ZEE Business, which attracted 65 million views.
The story was similar in English general news, where CNN-News18 continued its digital momentum. The channel recorded 369 million views in May, surpassing NDTV, which registered 330 million views. The figures reinforce CNN-News18’s standing as one of the country’s most-watched English news destinations online, driven by a mix of breaking news coverage, political reporting and international affairs.
A significant boost came from the intense audience interest surrounding election results declared on May 4. During a 24-hour coverage window, Network18’s digital properties collectively recorded a peak concurrent YouTube audience of more than two million viewers and generated 303.2 million views across platforms, according to Databeings data.
Regional brands also played a key role in the network’s performance. Channels such as News18 Bangla and News18 Tamil witnessed strong audience engagement, highlighting the group’s ability to connect with viewers across languages and geographies during major national events.
The latest figures reflect more than just scale. They point to the growing importance of diversified digital news ecosystems that can serve audiences across formats, languages and interests. With leadership positions across multiple categories and a broad portfolio of brands, Network18 continues to expand its reach, reinforcing its status as one of India’s most influential digital news publishers.
As news consumption increasingly shifts online, Network18’s latest performance suggests that in the battle for digital eyeballs, the network remains firmly in the driver’s seat.
