News Broadcasting
Prasar Bharati financial rejig delayed
NEW DELHI: The Indian government has said that the terms of a committee looking into the financial restructuring of pubcaster Prasar Bharati has been extended till year-end, which is likely to delay implementation of panels suggestions.
As the collation and compilation of the requisite data from various field units is likely to take more time, the term of the committee has been extended by three months up to 31 December, 2005 for submission of its report, information and broadcasting minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi told Rajya Sabha (Upper House) today.
A committee, headed by I&B secretary SK Arora, was appointed by the government on 30 March, 2005 for suggesting a viable capital and financial structure for the cash-strapped Prasar Bharati to facilitate the strengthening of its functioning.
The terms are from references of the panel which was to propose a viable capital and financial structure for Prasar Bharati, while taking into account the broadcasters role as a pubcaster and the need to maximise revenue-earning potential through commercial operations.
Meanwhile, the government also said that All India Radio proposes to increase FM radio coverage to about 50 per cent of the population during the Tenth Five-Year Plan.
The present FM coverage is about 33 per cent by population, Dasmunsi informed fellow parliamentarians, adding the whole, however, is covered through short wave signals.
Twelve satellite radio channels of AIR are available on Doordarshans DTH platform throughout the country except Andaman & Nicobar islands.
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.
