News Broadcasting
7 things that could blow your mind on 16 May
MUMBAI: Come Friday, every news channel has promised hours of the latest and extensive election result updates by their anchors and arm chair experts. Almost all channels in their excitement to grab eyeballs will begin their coverage from 6 am as the world waits with baited breath to know the mandate of the nation.
As almost everyone is glued to their sets and expecting a common possibility to pour out, we from the team of indiantelevision.com bring you seven such wacky yet possible outcomes that could be contrary to what is expected in the biggest election of all times.
What if…
•Rahul Gandhi loses Amethi and Kejriwal wins Varanasi
This will be a fortune teller’s delight and an astrologer’s worst nightmare come true. Narendra Modi won’t have much to worry as he still has another safe seat- Vadodra in Gujarat. Mr Muffler winning from Varanasi in his enthusiasm could well be seen then, taking a dip in the holy Ganga- not advisable for a man with cold eh?
•There is a power cut for hours
Families sitting in front of a TV set. Popcorn and cola being passed around and midway through the coverage as anchors are about to tell you which party is seen gaining the maximum seats… click goes the electricity. One may recall, in June 2012, 20 of India’s 28 states were left without power when a grid had collapsed. So, the situation is a possibility. But on an election result day, people will have much more to complain other than just the sweltering heat.
•Exit poll prediction goes wrong
A repeat of 2009, when exit polls had signaled the green light for the NDA cannot be rubbished. This could also be the death kneel for research agencies already under a cloud for rigging opinion polls. Congress’s spokespersons will be the ones having the last laugh as anchors try to put on some saving grace.
•Markets crash…
When exit poll results were shown recently, the markets reacted very strongly to a pro-Modi sentiment. But what if in the overzealous quest of share market, investors and holders, the sensex crashes. Again a possibility that cannot be ruled out.
•Jashodaben escorting Modi on his victory rally!
A perfect ending to a troubled marriage as seen in Bollywood movies, Jashodaben escorting her star husband could silence many of his critics. It would also bring tears to many Indian voters except Rahul baba who now would face pressure of finding a bride as if the electoral drubbing wasn’t enough. Rahul Ka Swayamwar -maybe?
•NDA unable to get 272
What if the NDA is unable to get to the magic figure? Yes it could reach out to form alliances with regional players. What could make this situation scarier is regional players offering their support on the condition that Modi is not the PM. Rajnath Singh could then be tipped to be the PM, in this Game of Thrones.
•EC declares 16 May as ‘Dry day’
Celebrations will be cut short if this comes true! All that one would be left to celebrate with are the kilos of ladoos that the BJP has ordered for. With no booze to celebrate, India would be instantly wrapped by the “Gujarat model” and be a dry country. Amul milk and cookies may be?
•All celebrities winning the elections, Rakhi Sawant too!
With many celebrities trying their luck at the ballot, they winning the same would add the much need glamour to our non-glitzy parliament. Whether they provide deep insight or pure entertainment is one’s wild guess. And, Rakhi Sawant in parliament? Oh jeejus!
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.
