News Broadcasting
On Result Day-India tunes in to TIMES NOW
MUMBAI: It was a historic election, one that threw up a clear mandate after several years of coalition governments at the centre. And just like the result of the elections which saw a clear winner, amongst English TV News viewers the winner continues to be Times Now.
TIMES NOW has been the number one choice in election week and on Counting Day, the 16th of May. Viewership data released by TAM shows TIMES NOW far ahead of its competitors with 908 Gross TVTs and 45% of the share (Source: TAM All Indian 1 mn+ TG CSM 25+AB) which is greater than the share of both NDTV and CNN-IBN put together.
During Prime Time, the viewership surges further ahead with TIMES NOW recording 251 Gross TVTs and registering 51% share. TAM data also shows TIMES NOW as the channel of choice during the entire Election week registering 35% viewership share
This year TIMES NOW led election coverage by changing the paradigm of News Coverage, introducing technological innovations like the Hologram which saw reporters beamed directly into studio and Augmented Reality based 3D graphics; combined with the depth of experience provided by TIMES NOW’s expert panel and voices of guest speakers across the political spectrum.
TIMES NOW Editor–in-Chief Arnab Goswami says “This is one of the biggest margins of victory for any news channel on election day. Clearly it reaffirms the faith the viewers have in TIMES NOW. This election we have also pioneered the use of innovative technologies like Holograms and Augmented Reality to provide viewers with a never before experience.”
“Our content, technology, presenters and sets were simply superior. The drama of the momentous day was best captured on Times Now. Over 50% share during prime time meant more viewers spent more time with us.” said M.K. Anand, MD & CEO, Times Television Network.
With this clear win on Result Day and during Election week TIMES NOW has once again shown that when it comes to News there is only one channel that India tunes into.
GROSS TVTS (RESULT DAY) [Source: TAM All Indian 1 mn+ TG CSM 25+AB]
TIMES NOW 908, IBN 517 NDTV 263; ; HT 204; NEWSX 105
ALL DAY SHARE (RESULT DAY[Source: TAM All Indian 1 mn+ TG CSM 25+AB]
TIMES NOW 45%, IBN 25% ; NDTV 13%; HT 10%; NEWSX 5%
GROSS TVTS COUNTING DAY PRIME TIME (RESULT DAY)[Source: TAM All Indian 1 mn+ TG CSM 25+AB]
TIMES NOW 253, IBN 81; NDTV 75; HT 61; NEWSX 11
COUNTING DAY PRIME TIME (RESULT DAY)[Source: TAM All Indian 1 mn+ TG CSM 25+AB]
TIMES NOW 51%, IBN 16 % ; NDTV 15%; HT 12%; NEWSX 2%
COUNTING HOURS 8am-12NOON [Source: TAM All Indian 1 mn+ TG CSM 25+AB]
TIMES NOW 48%, IBN 27%, NDTV 11%, HT 5%, NEWSX 8%
GROSS TVTS COUNTING HOURS 8am-12NOON [Source: TAM All Indian 1 mn+ TG CSM 25+AB]
TIMES NOW 244, IBN 139; NDTV 57; HT 28; NEWSX 40
ELECTION WEEK; WEEK20 [Source: TAM All Indian 1 mn+ TG CSM 25+AB]
TIMES NOW 35%, IBN 27%, NDTV 14%, HT 12%, NEWSX 11%
GROSS TVTS ELECTION WEEK; WEEK20 [Source: TAM All Indian 1 mn+ TG CSM 25+AB]
TIMES NOW 2110, IBN 1629; NDTV 825; HT 744; NEWSX 678
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
