Network18 has reinforced its standing as India’s leading digital news network, continuing to dominate across multiple news categories including business, English, Hindi, and regional news. Backed by a portfolio of prominent media brands, the network has maintained strong audience engagement and viewership across digital platforms.
According to a Network18 press release, the group’s diverse news ecosystem—comprising CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNN-News18, News18 India, Moneycontrol, Firstpost, Forbes India, and the News18 regional network—continues to reach millions of viewers and readers daily through its extensive digital presence.
The latest Playboard data for the period between May 1 and May 31, 2026, highlights Network18’s dominance across key news segments. In the Hindi news category, News18 India emerged as the clear leader, recording 2.02 billion YouTube views during the month. The channel significantly outperformed its nearest competitor, Aaj Tak, which registered 967 million views over the same period. The strong performance was driven by extensive coverage of breaking news, elections, national developments, and issues relevant to Hindi-speaking audiences.
The network also maintained its leadership in the business news segment. CNBC-TV18 recorded 83 million views during May, comfortably ahead of NDTV Profit’s 46 million views. Similarly, CNBC Awaaz garnered 84 million views, surpassing Zee Business, which recorded 65 million views. The sustained performance of both business channels reflects their strong credibility among investors, market participants, and business professionals seeking financial news, market insights, and expert analysis.
In the English news category, CNN-News18 continued its upward momentum with 369 million views during May 2026, outperforming NDTV, which recorded 330 million views during the same period. The channel’s coverage of major national developments, elections, international affairs, and geopolitical events contributed significantly to audience engagement across digital platforms.
Network18’s strong performance was also evident during the election results coverage on May 4. According to Databeings data, the network recorded a peak concurrent viewership of more than 2 million on YouTube during the 24-hour coverage cycle. Across its brands and platforms, the network generated 303.2 million views on the day, reflecting the scale of audience engagement during one of the country’s most significant news events.
Regional platforms also played a crucial role in driving the network’s overall growth. Brands such as News18 Bangla and News18 Tamil witnessed strong audience traction, underscoring Network18’s ability to connect with viewers across languages and geographies.
With category-leading positions across business, English, Hindi, and regional news, Network18 has built one of the country’s most comprehensive digital news ecosystems. Its wide reach, multilingual presence, and diversified content portfolio continue to strengthen its position as a trusted destination for news and information in India’s rapidly evolving digital media landscape.
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