News Broadcasting
TV18 Q2 net loss at Rs 245.57 million
MUMBAI: TV18 has posted a consolidated net loss of Rs 245.57 million (after ESOP charge out) for the quarter ended 30 September 2008, as against a profit of Rs 49.67 million in the year ago period.
During the quarter, the company’s income has increased from Rs 1.30 billion as compared to Rs 882.98 million in the corresponding quarter last fiscal.
The company has taken control of the board of directors of Infomedia18 Limited on 21 August and consequently the results of Infomedia18 Limited have been consolidated for the period from 21 August to 30 September on the basis of the management control.
TV18 MD Raghav Bahl said: “We have managed to grow our business news revenues in a very tough operating environment. That is a splendid testimony to the robust programming, audience loyalty and brand premium built by CNBC-TV18 and CNBC-Awaaz. Although operating margins have dropped from the steady 50 per cent seen during the preceding bull market, we are satisfied by the fact that we have managed to hold around the 40 per cent mark, and have grown both our revenues and operating margins compared to the previous quarter. We hope to maintain the current performance of our business news operations for the rest of the year.”
Net profit (after Esop charge out) from news operations of the company, which include CNBC TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, has slipped to Rs 76.06 million in the second quarter of this fiscal, from Rs 156.93 million in the prior year quarter.
Revenue from news operations has seen a downfall to Rs 808.23 million, from Rs 735.05 million in the year ago period.
Newswire18’s net loss stood at Rs 40.26 million in the second quarter. Revenue from Newswire18 has seen a growth of 107 per cent to stand at Rs 51.20 million, from Rs 24.69 million in the year ago period. It is planning to distribute terminals in overseas market.
Infomedia’s net loss stood at Rs 1.10 million while revenue earned from operations is Rs 290.48 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.
