News Broadcasting
A repeat show for IBN Lokmat as Q1 net loss stands at Rs 40 million
MUMBAI: IBN Lokmat, the joint venture company that runs the Marathi news channel, is still bleeding as its revenue stays flat even after completing three years of operations.
The company has posted a net loss of Rs 40 million for the first quarter of the fiscal, similar to what it had registered in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal. In the trailing quarter, however, IBN Lokmat had reported a net loss of Rs 60 million.
The main problem area for IBN Lokmat is that in a market which has two strong players – Zee 24 Taas and Star Majha- the channel’s revenue seems to have hit a ceiling while it has failed to curb expenses.
Revenue for the quarter ended 30 June stood at Rs 40 million, same as the year-ago period. In the trailing quarter, revenue was Rs 30 million.
IBN Lokmat’s quarter expenses stood at Rs 70 million, up from Rs 60 million the company incurred in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal. In the trailing quarter, expenses were at Rs 80 mllion.
The channel’s Ebitda loss remained at Rs 30 million, same as the year-ago period, but less than the trailing quarter (Rs 60 million).
IBN Lokmat was launched in March 2008 as a joint venture between Network18 Group and Lokmat.
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.
