News Broadcasting
Battle for the States
MUMBAI: As the 5 states of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram go to elections in November-December, CNN-IBN & IBN7, in partnership with THE WEEK, bring to you the most incisive and definitive pre-election survey in these states, conducted by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS).
Amidst the tough multi-party competition and hectic campaigning in these states, the survey will give the viewers a head start on the likely outcome of the Assembly elections; delving into seat projections, sensing the mood of the voters in key constituencies and discussing the biggest factors and issues that are going to impact the results.
With a formidable team of journalists, joined by the best political experts in the country, the survey aims to give its viewers the sharpest and most precise analysis of the elections.
Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, CNN-IBN, IBN7 and IBN-Lokmat, said, “The pre-poll study is an attempt to sense the mood of the voters and determine how this will impact the overall constitution of the respective State Assemblies. Once again, we are pleased to partner with THE WEEK in this endeavour.”
Ashutosh, Managing Editor, IBN7 said, “In the run-up to the State Assembly elections, this pre-poll study is an initiative to reach out to voters, understand their issues and how their decision will impact the electoral outcomes in these 5 key poll-bound states.”
Philip Mathew, Managing Editor, THE WEEK, said, “We are glad to partner with CNN-IBN & IBN7 in conducting this pre-poll survey. As usual, it is our endeavour to give our readers the most thorough insights into the current political and social scenarios in the poll-bound states.”
To know the findings of this study, tune into ‘Election Tracker’ on CNN-IBN and ‘Mera Vote Meri Sarkar – Agar Abhi Chunav Hon Toh’ on IBN7, from Mon, Oct 28 to Thu, Oct 31 at 8pm.
You can also read the detailed results and analysis of the survey in the issue of THE WEEK, hitting stands on Nov 1, 2013.
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.
