Network18 has reported a landmark year in digital performance, driven by sharp growth across Connected TV (CTV), YouTube and social platforms, reinforcing its leadership position in India’s rapidly evolving digital news ecosystem. The strong momentum in 2025 has also set the stage for an accelerated growth agenda in 2026, with CTV emerging as a central pillar of the network’s strategy.

According to a Network18 press release, the network has been at the forefront of redefining how Indian audiences consume news and long-form content, blending the strengths of traditional television with the flexibility of digital platforms. Connected TV, in particular, has re-emerged as the living room screen, reviving multi-generation co-viewing and encouraging audiences to spend more time with news and in-depth programming on large screens.

In 2025, Network18 recorded 2.5 billion views on Connected TV, marking a 26 percent year-on-year increase. The growth reflects deeper engagement and longer watch durations, driven by a focused cross-screen distribution strategy that allows content to travel seamlessly from mobile devices to large-screen environments, across languages and formats. With rising smart TV penetration and expanding broadband access, CTV is fast becoming a core media and advertising platform, positioning Network18 as a leader in large-screen news consumption.

Commenting on the milestone, Pranav Bakshi, Chief Growth Officer, Network18 Connected, said the network’s performance underscores the potential of Connected TV as an anchor screen for news in India. He noted that the growth across CTV, YouTube and social platforms highlights Network18’s commitment to innovation and high-quality storytelling delivered at scale, while transforming how audiences experience news at home.

Looking ahead, Network18 plans to sharpen its focus on CTV-led growth in 2026. The group intends to invest further in content curated specifically for large-screen viewing, aligned with changing audience preferences. It will also deepen collaboration with advertisers to offer improved targeting, measurement-led solutions and more effective outcomes in premium content environments. As part of this expansion, Network18 is building a robust CTV infrastructure and solutions stack, with availability across major OEM and OTT ecosystems such as JioHotstar, JioTV, Samsung, Xiaomi and LG. A dedicated CTV-first app is also in development and is expected to launch in 2026.

Beyond Connected TV, Network18 continued to dominate digital consumption metrics last year. The network clocked a record 56 billion views across platforms in 2025, the highest by any news publisher globally in a single calendar year. Watch hours surged 87 percent, rising from 1.4 billion to 3 billion, pointing to sustained and growing audience engagement.

In December 2025 alone, twelve Network18 channels ranked number one in their respective YouTube categories, while the group crossed six billion views, nearly three times that of its closest competitors. With a YouTube audience base of over 200 million across English, Hindi and more than 13 regional languages, and a social media following of 386 million, Network18 continues to consolidate its position as the most influential news and information network in India’s digital media landscape.

The performance reflects the network’s emphasis on content excellence, cultural relevance and platform-specific innovation, spanning breaking news and long-form storytelling, as it strengthens its leadership in a fast-changing digital environment.