News Broadcasting
CBS issues annual social responsibility report
MUMBAI: For the third year in a row, US broadcaster CBS has catalogued efforts by its television network, programming arms and local television stations in a Social Responsibility Report.
Viacom co-president and co-COO and CBS chairman Les Monves said, “We have always believed that being corporate citizens and giving back to the communities we serve is not just good for business, but part of our responsibility of being a broadcaster.
It is often said that television is perhaps the most powerful medium available to us in society, and this report demonstrates how we used this power for good in important areas like outreach, programming, dedication and support of local talent and diversity.”
The report notes that the broadcaster has undetaken diversity initiatives. They include the recently-formed CBS Writers Mentoring Programme, talent showcases and industry-partners, as well as additional programmes offered through CBS News and the Viacom Television Stations.
CBS has also undertaken accessible Media programmes like closed-captioning and second audio programming. CBS also states that it has aired on both a national and local level public service announcements for causes like responsible drinking, child abuse prevention, HIV awareness, racial tolerance, alcohol and substance abuse, parenting, violence prevention and hunger/disaster relief.
CBS states that it has sponsored hundreds of local community events in the US like food and clothing drives, disaster relief, education initiatives, family friendly events and telethons.
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.
