News Broadcasting
News18 Bangla’s flagship show ‘Soja Sapta’ to host Mega Debate on May 31
Mumbai: News18 Bangla is thrilled to announce a special debate session named ‘Soja Sapta-Mega Debate’ under the banner of its flagship show ‘Soja Sapta.’ The channel’s most popular debate show ‘Soja Sapta’, marks its fifth year of broadcast. It continues to gain popularity among viewers for its fearless coverage of various aspects of our society.
The ‘Soja Sapta – Mega Debate’ will be hosted by News18 Network’s editor east Biswa Majumdar, and will feature renowned politicians from various backgrounds. ‘Soja Sapta’, which translates to ‘Straight Forward’ in English, aptly captures the show’s direct and candid approach. This unique debate show addresses the concerns and challenges faced by the common man, ensuring their voices are heard by politicians and policymakers. The debate will serve as a platform for policymakers, opinion leaders, and prominent voices to engage in thoughtful conversations, alongside Bengal’s most trusted news team.
The mega debate will highlight a thought-provoking exchange of ideas, aiming to foster critical thinking within the audience. The show will focus on the quality of discourse, ensuring that viewers receive informed conversations and well-considered opinions on the issues that matter most to them as well as the country.
Presenting sponsors for the event are Meghbela Broadband- Banglar Ghore Ghore, Emami- “Healthy & Tasty -Kacchi Ghani Shorsher Tel, Skipper Pipes – India’s Safest Pipes. The event is powered by Reliance Industries Ltd. Special partners are International Institute of Hotel Management, JIS Group Educational Initiatives, Bengal Tiles- Ab Ghar banana Baccho Ka Khel Hai. Narayan Memorial Hospital- Behala is the health partner, real estate partner is Merlin Group, Bharati Diagnostic Centre is the associate partner.
Tune into News18 Bangla on 31 May at 7:00 pm to witness the Soja Sapta – Mega Debate.
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.
