News18 Lokmat was the Marathi-language news channel brand created in November 2017 when Network18 Group renamed its existing IBN Lokmat channel as part of a broader rebranding strategy for its regional News18 channels. The channel unveiled a new brand identity and logo along with a refreshed on-air look on November 6, 2017, with the new logo presented by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the channel’s flagship event, “Agenda Maharashtra 2017.” [1] [2]
Design and History
News18 Lokmat originated as IBN Lokmat, a 24-hour Marathi-language news channel launched on April 6, 2008, as a joint venture between Network18’s TV18 Broadcast Ltd. and Lokmat Media Pvt Ltd, publisher of the Marathi newspaper Lokmat. [3] The channel was rebranded as News18 Lokmat on November 6, 2017, as part of the overall rebranding strategy of the News18 regional channels. [1] The rebranding also included a revamped digital presence with the launch of a newly designed website, news18lokmat.com. [3]
The News18 Lokmat identity was later retired when the channel was rebranded as News18 Marathi in January 2026. That rebranding followed Network18’s full acquisition of IBN Lokmat News Pvt. Ltd. in October 2025, making the channel a wholly owned subsidiary of the group. The refreshed brand aligned the channel more closely with the News18 network and reinforced its positioning as “Awaaz Maharashtracha,” the voice of Maharashtra. [4] [5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The News18 Lokmat logo was part of the News18 network’s visual identity system. The network’s symbolic suffix “18” was a deliberate element of the group’s branding, with Network18 planning to align all its channels with this suffix in its 2007 identity overhaul. [6] The broader News18 network rebranding, which included CNN-News18, IBN7, and IBN Lokmat, introduced a red, black, and white color scheme for the changed logos, a departure from the previous globe-and-IBN design. [7]
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