News Broadcasting
9TV officially rebranded as CNN Philippines
MUMBAI: 9TV has been officially rebranded as CNN Philippines, marking a historic day for Filipinos, as well as CNN International and Nine Media Corporation.
24-hours English news channel CNN Philippines will be free-to-air and also have its web presence.
CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker said, “We are thrilled to welcome CNN Philippines to the CNN family. Both CNN and Nine Media have worked exceptionally hard to make this a reality. We are confident the Filipino audience is going to embrace CNN Philippines and the unmatched news and information it delivers – something not seen in this country before.”
Nine Media Corporation chairman Ambassador Antonio Cabangon-Chua added, “This is such a significant milestone not only for Nine Media but for Filipinos everywhere. This is a news service they have never had before. We aspire to be the trusted name in news in the Philippines. We are proud to tell the story of the Filipino through the unique content we provide.”
CNN Philippines will operate from studio facilities in Manila and offer a dynamic combination of local and international news as well as current affairs, feature programming and documentaries. The accompanying website, CNNPhilippines.com, will offer latest news covering business, science and technology, entertainment and sports, as well as opinion and analysis, special reports, exclusive interviews, and videos.
Turner Broadcasting International president Gerhard Zeiler asserted, “The Philippines is such an important market for us and we couldn’t be happier to find a like-minded partner in Nine Media. We have so many exciting developments planned for the Asia-Pacific region, this is just the beginning.”
“CNN is a company we have long admired and share its vision, mission and values. To be an official part of the CNN family is an honour and a privilege. We look forward to delivering a world-class product to our local Filipino audience,” added Nine Media Corporation president Reggie Galura.
The launch of CNN Philippines is part of a strategic effort by CNN International Commercial’s Content Sales and Partnerships Group, a division of Turner Broadcasting System International. The core business is to explore ways in which CNN can reach more consumers locally, regionally and internationally by partnering with other leading media organizations. CNN Philippines is the latest addition to the CNN family that includes CNN Turk, CNN IBN, CNN Chile and CNN Indonesia.
CNN Philippines is available on free-to-air television in Manila RPN-TV9, Cebu RPN-TV9, Davao RPN-TV9, Zamboanga RPN-TV5, Baguio RPN-TV12, and Bacolod RPN-TV8; and also on cable TV thru Sky Cable Channel 14 (Metro Manila), Sky Cable Channel 6 (Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo and Baguio), Destiny Cable Channel 14, Cablelink Channel 14, and Cignal Channel 10 and over 200 cable affiliates nationwide.
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.
