Network18’s digital growth in 2025 driven by Connected TV scale

Network18 recorded higher digital consumption in 2025, led by growth across Connected TV (CTV), YouTube and social platforms, as audiences increasingly shifted towards large-screen digital viewing.

Connected TV emerged as a significant consumption channel during the year, with audiences using smart TVs for news and long-form programming. The format combined scheduled television viewing with on-demand digital access, contributing to longer watch times and co-viewing across age groups.

According to the network, it recorded 2.5 billion CTV views in 2025, marking a 26% year-on-year increase. The growth was attributed to content being distributed across screens, allowing audiences to move between mobile and television viewing across languages and formats.

The network said the rise in smart TV adoption and broadband access has positioned CTV as a growing media and advertising channel, particularly for news consumption on large screens.

Commenting on the development, Pranav Bakshi, Chief Growth Officer, Network18 Connected, Network18, said: “Our 2025 performance demonstrates the true potential of Connected TV as an anchor screen for news consumption in India. We’ve expanded our digital reach dramatically while transforming the way audiences experience news and storytelling at home. Our achievements across CTV, YouTube, and social underscore Network18’s commitment to innovation and high-quality storytelling at scale.”

Looking ahead to 2026, Network18 plans to expand its CTV-focused strategy. This includes developing content formats designed for large-screen viewing and working with advertisers on audience targeting and measurement tools. The group is also building its CTV infrastructure and technology stack.

Network18 is currently available across multiple OEM and OTT platforms including JioHotstar, JioTV, Samsung, Xiaomi and LG. It is also working on a CTV-first application, which is expected to launch in 2026.

Beyond CTV, the network reported 56 billion total views across digital platforms in 2025. Watch time increased from 1.4 billion hours to 3 billion hours during the year. Twelve Network18 channels ranked first in their respective YouTube categories in December 2025, while total views on the platform crossed 6 billion.

The network said it currently reaches around 200 million viewers on YouTube across English, Hindi and more than 13 regional languages. Its social media following stands at 386 million across platforms.