News Broadcasting
TV18 targets 13 Jan for Hindi business news channel Awaaz launch
MUMBAI: The Raghav Bahl-promoted Television Eighteen Ltd is targeting 13 January as the launch date for the proposed 24-hour Hindi business channel it has christened Aawaz.
The launch would coincide with the fifth anniversary of parent channel CNBC-TV18. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will be gracing the anniversary function of TV 18.
The channel is planning to unleash a media campaign on CNBC TV18 in the next few days; the thrust of which would be ‘Aawaz-the voice of the people’. The other promotional campaigns for the new channel will follow later.
TV-18’s proposed Hindi channel will beam via an Insat satellite. Aawaz is slated to be a pay channel and priced at Rs 6/- on an a la carte basis and will be distributed by Zee-Turner. The maximum retail price of Aawaz has been marked at Rs 25, but an effective rate of Rs 6 will be charged from subscribers. The Zee-Turner comprehensive bouquet comprises 25 channels.
The overall head of Aawaz would be Sanjay Pugalia, while Vivek Law who would be designated as consumer editor. Ajay Chacko heads the marketing team. Ex Sahara Samay anchor Shireen would also be part of the proposed Hindi business news channel, according to a broadcast industry source.
Aawaz would not be just a translation of TV18’s English channel CNBC-TV18, but will largely focus on servicing information on prices of agricultural products, besides communicating information on news on stocks and trade related components.
Aawaz would bring in expert views and foresights on consumer durables, and also provide information through the sectors of banks, insurance, travel and hospitality. Besides, it would also target in-depth analyses and perspectives on buying and selling transactions, trade related issues that concern the average Indian, insurance, banking; fixed deposits, mutual funds, housing loans, etc.
The channel aims at being a more ‘touch and feel’ channel, and will promote a greater level of interactivity through shows on commodities and stocks. The end aim being to to broadbase its viewership, with more interactions and discussions on all aspects.
As part of its content aggregation efforts, the company has recently acquired an agri informatics business portal www.eagritrader.com. The new channel will air news, information and prices of agricultural products on a worldwide basis.
Aawaz will join Zee Telefilms’ Zee business in the business news niche channel category. As already reported by indiantelevision.com, NDTV’s business news channel Profit is scheduled to go on air 10 January.
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.
