News Broadcasting
RadioAsia2006 to celebrate 100 years of radio
MUMBAI: Radio broadcasters, communications academics and representatives of developmental agencies will celebrate the historic milestone of radio turning 100 years old at RadioAsia2006 in Singapore. The conference organisers have chosen”100 years of Radio: The Journey Ahead” as its theme.
RadioAsia 2006 aims to provide a focal point for the exchange of ideas and concepts on the future of radio, sharing of information on successes achieved, and to conduct business and network with industry peers.
The event is held as a partner-event to BroadcastAsia2006, the region’s premier International Multimedia and Entertainment Technology trade show in Asia, where industry players converge to experience and engage with the latest in content creation, management, delivery and education, states an official release. Most of the speakers and participants will be drawn from across Asia, but they expect many from the US and Europe as well.
In its second year, RadioAsia is organised by the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC), Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) in partnership with Singapore Exhibition Services (SES).
Last year’s RadioAsia event received staunch support from the industry – more than 100 delegates from 28 countries turned up at the Singapore Expo, with 40 speakers touching on diverse topics ranging from community and youth radio to digital broadcasting.
“Last year’s response to our call for papers was extremely encouraging, and this is an indication of the importance of having such an event in Asia”, says secretary-general of the ABU, David Astley.
Some new media proponents have tried to position radio as an old, dying medium, but the industry is going from strength to strength, embracing new media like Internet broadcasting, and more recently, ‘podcasting’.
“It is a pity that radio is not given more recognition. Radio is so widely accessible, and plays an important role in reaching out to communities. It is for this reason that the role of radio cannot be discounted despite the rise in popularity of other media. The annual RadioAsia2006 conference aims to address these issues and others by offering a common platform to network and exchange ideas,” offers secretary-general of AMIC, Indrajit Banerjee.
Next year’s event will be held from 21 – 23 June 2006, comprising of conferences and workshops. A half-day of workshops will be held on 20 June 2006, the release adds.
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.
