CNN-News18 has emerged as the most-watched English news channel on YouTube in India, recording 141 million views between September 30 and October 10, 2026, according to data from Databeings. The channel significantly outpaced competitors Times Now and India Today during the period.
CNN-News18 recorded 141 million views, compared with 44 million for Times Now and 52 million for India Today. This means CNN-News18 generated 3.2 times the views of Times Now and 2.7 times those of India Today, highlighting its reach in the digital English news space.
According to Databeings, the figures reflect the channel’s performance across YouTube during the September 30–October 10 period and underline its ability to reach audiences beyond traditional television viewing.
CNN-News18 also recorded higher average concurrent viewership during prime-time hours, between 5 pm and 10 pm, during the same period. The channel registered 7,300 average concurrent viewers, compared with 1,500 for Times Now and 2,000 for India Today.
The prime-time figures indicate a stronger concurrent audience for CNN-News18 during the key evening news hours, as English news channels compete for viewers across digital platforms.
The channel’s performance comes amid a growing focus on digital distribution and online audience engagement among news broadcasters. YouTube has become an important platform for news channels to reach viewers through live streams, news updates, debates and analysis.
CNN-News18’s editorial line-up includes anchors and journalists such as Rahul Shivshankar, Anand Narasimhan, Shawan Sen, Shivani Gupta and Nabila Jamil. The team covers national and international developments, offering news updates, in-depth analysis and different perspectives on major issues.
The viewership figures cited in the report are based on Databeings data for September 30 to October 10, 2026, with the prime-time concurrent viewership comparison covering the 5 pm to 10 pm slot.
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