Mumbai: Network18, a major media conglomerate in India, and DistroTV, a leading independent, free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) platform, has announced a partnership, which will enable DistroTV users in India to stream Network18's diverse portfolio of channels live and for free.

In its initial phase, the partnership has seen the launch of Network18's key channels such as CNN-News18, News18 India, CNBC TV18 and CNBC Awaaz on the platform. The collaboration is expected to be strengthened with additions of more Network18 channels from across its regional and digital portfolio in the near future.

Speaking on the new partnership, Network18 head – video strategy & partnerships Pranav Bakshi said, "We are excited to join forces with DistroTV. This partnership aligns with our goal of providing a best-in-class user experience for our viewers across the country. The launch of our diverse set of channels on DistroTV is a testament to our commitment to innovation in the dynamic media landscape. We hope to reach maximum audiences on the platform."

"DistroTV is thrilled to partner with Network18, a media powerhouse that has revolutionized the Indian media landscape," said DistroScale CEO & co-founder Navdeep Saini, parent company of DistroTV. "This partnership will bring a diverse array of quality content to our audiences in India, further solidifying DistroTV's position as the best place to watch global entertainment, news, and sports."

DistroScale India, SEA, MENA & CEO Vikas Khanchandani added, "Our collaboration with Network18 aligns perfectly with our mission to cater to the diverse language preferences of our audiences in India. Network18 has been at the cutting edge of News and is amongst the largest news networks offering content across languages and markets. We will be bringing newer audiences to the news network as we expand our distribution across platforms."