Decode at 200: Powering DD News YouTube with 74% of views and 75% of new subscribers

National broadcaster DD News’ prime-time programme Decode with Sudhir Chaudhary has firmly established itself as a defining presence in India’s Hindi news landscape. The show marked a significant milestone by completing 200 episodes on 19 February 2026.

From 15 May 2025 to 18 February 2026, the show recorded about 512 million views on YouTube, which is 74.1% of the total views of DD News during this period, setting a new record in itself. Meanwhile, 16 lakh new viewers subscribed to DD News on YouTube, with Decode being the biggest contributor. Decode alone added about 12 lakh new subscribers, which is 75% of DD News' new subscribers during this period.

In just 9 months, Decode has become the digital power of DD News. It is a show that you can watch with your family as it has information for every member of the family.

When Decode started on 15 May 2025, it was considered an adventurous experiment. It was not easy for public broadcasters to enter the aggressive prime-time space, which is dominated by private channels. The question is whether viewers will adopt it? Will Decode on DD News become relevant in the digital age? The data obtained in 9 months is the most accurate answer to these questions.

There are three main pillars behind Decode's success: strategy, personality and timing. The show's anchor, Sudhir Chaudhary, brings with him decades of newsroom experience, a sharp editorial vision and a devoted viewership. Each of its episodes is made for YouTube with attractive thumbnails, straightforward headlines, and quick content improvements based on audience feedback have become Decode's hallmark.

The 9 to 10 PM slot of DD News comes alive with Decode. The personality of politics, art and film is also decoded in this show. So far, K. Ram Mohan Naidu, Bhupender Yadav, Rekha Gupta, Rani Mukerji, Rakesh Bedi and Shammi Narang have been part of this show, thereby increasing both the reliability and effectiveness of Decode.

Viewers' opinion and their feedback is the most important, that's why 'Decode Ki Dak' was started, in which thousands of viewers from India and abroad send letters, giving their opinion about Decode.

The buzz of Decode is being heard outside India as well. Sudhir Chaudhary's style of Hindi analysis has been well received among Indians in the Gulf countries, North America and Europe, which suggests that reliable Hindi journalism has tremendous global appeal in the digital age.

Decode is a big change for DD News and a new chapter for Sudhir Chaudhary, where journalism meets clarity. This achievement of 200 episodes is the biggest proof that when communicated with confidence and consistency, even a 65-year-old state-run national channel can lead journalism in the digital age.