News Broadcasting
NaMo TV launch under scanner as EC seeks response from MIB
MUMBAI: The Election Commission (EC) of India has sought a reply from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on the sudden launch of NaMo TV, which was later renamed as Content TV, last week.
Two political parties, Congress and AAP have raised the matter with the EC questioning its launch especially after the model code of conduct before elections came into force. AAP’s legal cell, in its letter to EC, also raised the question that who would monitor the content of the channel. Neither Content TV nor NaMo TV find a mention in the list of permitted satellite TV channels on the MIB website.
After undergoing a test run for several months, the channel went live as NaMo TV. The channel had no formal launch and there isn’t any information in the public domain about its ownership.
The channel appears to be an extension of the popular NaMo app that contains information about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's welfare schemes and other activities. NaMo TV airs programmes related to the Prime Minister, his speeches and government ads. Even BJP social media handles have been tweeting asking viewers to tune in to the channel. The channel is available on Videocon d2h, Dish TV, Tata Sky at 302, 770, and 512 respectively. It also has a picture of the Prime Minister as its logo.
News Broadcasting
Network18 posts Rs 1,955 crore revenue, narrows FY26 losses
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.
