News Broadcasting
Aaj Tak ad makes it official on new news channel
NEW DELHI: It’s almost official now. Just stopping short of issuing a press release, Aaj Tak, the news channel from the India Today Group (ITG) stable, has made it known, through an advertisement, that it is launching another news channel, in all probability in English.
The advertisement appeared almost in tandem with today’s clearance by the government of GE Mauritius Equity Investment’s plan to pick up a 7.5 per cent stake in the TV Today Network. The approval was one of 30 foreign direct investment (FDI) proposals worth Rs 2120 million that got the all-clear.
GE Capital, through its Mauritius outfit, is paying Rs 105 million for a stake in TV Today Network, United News of India has reported. Commerce and industry minister Murasoli Maran cleared the proposals on the recommendations of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB).
The huge advertisement, appearing in today’s edition of Times of India, calls for candidates for various posts (in the proposed channel) who would like to be “a part of the team that will make history again.”
The `subse tej’ news channel is also living up to its brash image, it seems. The advertisement starts off with fact No. 1 that Aaj Tak launched a 24-hour Hindi news channel, followed by Fact No. 2 that it became the number one news channel in less than a year (the rivals dispute this anyhow) and Fact No. 3 that Aaj Tak is launching “another news channel.”
Aaj Tak is looking for personnel to be part of the new channel in the editorial, production and technical divisions.
In what can be regarded as a precursor to the return of good times in the job market for journalists – reeling under severe recession – Aaj Tak has advertised for almost 14 posts in the editorial division. This need not necessarily mean that only 14 persons will be taken in as the company is looking at more than several special & principal correspondents and correspondents all over the country.
Efforts made by indiantelevision.com to contact senior execs of Aaj Tak came to a naught as only the company head, G Krishnan, interacts with the media and he is reportedly out of town.
In recent times, Krishnan, who along with ITG chief editor and chief executive Aroon Purie, is credited with the success of Aaj Tak, has been travelling lot within and outside the country which is an indicator that the new news channel is almost round the corner the talk is of a 26 January Republic Day launch, similar to what was done for Aaj Tak.
The Aaj Tak sister channel will not lack for company on the new news channel front. Star, NDTV, Videocon and the Sahara group are all in various stages of getting their channels on air.
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.
