News Broadcasting
Primetime : News vs TRP
KOLKATA: Major news channels in India have been criticised lately for turning primetime into a “farce”. The coverage of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death has further tainted news media’s image, sparking the debate if they should relook at content. While some editors believe the industry needs to re-examine primetime, another section asserts they are doing it every day.
In a panel during NT Awards 2020 hosted by Indiantelevision.com and moderated by founder, CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari, renowned Indian journalists shared their views. Times Now editor in chief Rahul Shivshankar said that editors have always been singled out for the quality of news. But of late, a lot of control has been taken away from editors on what they can play. According to him, the industry is running on an unviable business model.
Shivshankar explained that news channels focus on TRP as it is intrinsically linked to advertising. He is of the view that if news business can be insulated from maniac TRP pressure and fluctuations, editors in the newsroom will be able to have control over the content. “The system for BARC to NBSA is very convoluted and needs to be brought down,” he added.
India Today and Aaj Tak news director Rahul Kanwal contradicted this view. He acknowledged that there is always pressure for ratings, business, advertising, but that is no reason to sell the soul. He emphasised that it is important to believe in the stories one is doing.
News channels have been roundly criticised for ignoring other important developing issues during the SSR incident, but Kanwal denied the charge. He said that it was not the only story covered by them and they gave equal importance to stories on the economy and the Covid2019 crisis. However, if something goes wrong, it is important to be open to fixing those mistakes, he added.
Wion executive editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay claimed that the TRP currency is flawed and the sample size is too small. Yet, some of the channels are dictated by the system. She also echoed Shivshankar’s view that the flaw of the system can’t be blamed entirely on editors. The blame is on viewers too because they watch those shows. But she also added that editors cannot deny the responsibility that comes with the position. She is of the view that there are various ways to bring revenue other than following the TRP model blindly.
Upadhyay also highlighted another issue that nowadays editors often follow social media agendas to decide primetime rather than applying their mind. Since the top editors themselves are influencers, they can prevent news content from turning into entertainment shows if they unite. Moreover, anchors need to stop being overdramatic as they are the face of news programmes, she added.
News18 India managing editor Kishore Ajwani agreed that primetime shows are identified with anchors. It is their opinion, and how they engage that leaves an impact. “I believe that all of us re-examine the prime time shows every day in all aspects – content, format, guests and others,” he said.
“At the end of the day, it’s a screen and you have got a remote. If you do not like a story, switch the screen. No one has put a gun to your head. We do what we believe should be done,” Ajwani declared.
Amid all the chaos, TRP and advertising have been blamed mostly for deterioration of news content. Times Now’s Shivshankar added that the channels should move to subscription led models gradually. He also noted that a huge chunk of Times Now’s revenue is coming from subscription.
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.
