CNN-News18 banks on clarity over chaos to drive double-digit growth

CNN-News18, the English news channel, has rolled out various initiatives to stand out in the crowded news landscape. Its new approach, "One Screen, One Form, One Stream", is all about delivering an immersive and clutter-free viewing experience that prioritises impactful storytelling along with refined visual design.

Smriti Mehra, CEO of English & Business News at Network18, tells afaqs! that the channel's goal is to create a "cleaner on-screen architecture with minimal text and fewer moving images", placing a stronger emphasis on storytelling. 

"We want to develop a platform that feels global, catering to today’s consumers, who are interested not only in local news but also in global developments. Our vision is to create a sophisticated, international-looking platform that seamlessly integrates across connected TVs, cars, digital streaming services, and other devices,” she explains.

Mehra notes that many news channels predominantly depend on debates or panel discussions to convey their stories. In contrast, CNN-News18 aims to break away from this method by deeply exploring stories—conducting on-the-ground research, gathering multiple perspectives, and building a comprehensive backstory. 

This approach will allow the channel to explain not just what happened, but also its broader implications.

What’s in it for advertisers?

 “Advertisers are also consumers; they value high-quality environments for their brands. Our cleaner interface reduces distractions, ensuring better visibility for ads,” she points out.

According to her, every advertiser the channel has spoken with has expressed appreciation for this initiative. “Advertisers are our consumers as well, and based on anecdotal evidence, everyone we’ve spoken to regarding the channel's new interface has expressed enthusiasm." 

An improved news environment naturally boosts advertising revenue, resulting in increased visibility for brands on a high-quality platform, Mehra adds.

She reveals that the channel has been consistently exploring new advertising formats to engage advertisers. The revised interface is expected to offer minimal distractions and an engaging experience for advertisers.

“It’s a clear departure from what others are doing in the market, marking our entry as a global news offering.” 

Aiming for double-digit growth

Mehra acknowledges that the first few months of 2025 have been slow for advertising; however, she is optimistic that the channel's new approach will effectively address the challenges. "We’re optimistic about consolidating our offerings across platforms and providing innovative advertising solutions to drive growth despite current market conditions," she says.

The CEO notes that the channel has been number one for the past three years in the English news space, with the previous year standing out due to major events, including central and state elections, as well as the US elections. “We tactically monetised every part of the news cycle through innovative strategies.”

Speaking about the channel's goals for 2025, she says, “Even starting from a base year that was an election year, we should aim for double-digit growth.”

Mehra recognises that although the present landscape poses challenges for English content in India, the consumption of English news extends beyond television; it also includes rapidly growing streaming platforms such as YouTube and connected TVs. The challenge is to consolidate audiences across these platforms and rethink monetisation strategies.