News Broadcasting
NDTV Q2 net loss from news biz widens as rev falls
MUMBAI: NDTV‘s net loss from news business has widened 30 per cent to Rs 152.5 million for the fiscal second quarter as revenue from operations fell. The news broadcaster had posted a net loss of Rs 107 million in the same quarter of the previous fiscal.
NDTV‘s revenue for the quarter fell 5.23 per cent to Rs 784.5 million from Rs 822.3 million during the same period last year.
The company‘s expenditure decreased marginally to Rs 959.3 million from Rs 982.8 million in the year ago period even as employee cost increased 7.29 per cent to Rs 307 million on group wide cost and resource optimisation exercise during the quarter.
The company‘s operating and administrative expenses rose 20 per cent to Rs 252.6 million during the quarter.
Income from exceptional items rose to Rs 55.3 million from Rs 29 million in the corresponding quarter of the trailing fiscal.
Exceptional items during the quarter include gain on sale of investment in Metro Nation Chennai (MNC). NDTV said the gain in standalone results is Rs 44.3 million.
NDTV and its JV partner Kasturi and Sons Limited (KSL) had on 20 August entered into a Share Purchase Agreement with Educational Trustee Company Private Limited for the sale of 100 per cent of their respective stakes in Metro Nation Chennai Television Limited (MNC).
On a consolidated basis, NDTV narrowed its consolidated net loss for the quarter to Rs 165.1 million from Rs 223.1 million. The company‘s revenue stood at Rs 1.01 billion, down from Rs 1.05 billion, even as expenses widened to Rs 1.33 billion from Rs 1.29 billion. NDTV said the provision for doubtful debts relating to the shutdown of the channel Hindi GEC Imagine made in the previous year now reversed in the consolidated results amounting to Rs 11 million.
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.
