News Broadcasting
Aaj Tak too claims to be No 1 in election coverage
MUMBAI: And Aaj Tak says “me too”. The ‘sabse tez’ news channel also issued a press release staking its claim as the numero uno among news channels during the Maharashtra Elections. Quoting the Tam ratings for 16 October (Counting Day), Aaj Tak claims that it has been the most watched channel, during the counting period (8-12 am), with an All India share of 37.5 per cent, more than double than that of its nearest rival.
Additionally, the news channels has also claims to have bagged the highest all-India channel share, 26.2 per cent between the 9 am to 9 PM time-segment. In Maharashtra market, the channel clocked a channel share of 28.9 per cent.
The channel claims that it was, in fact, its Maharashtra election special programming Maharashtra ka Mahasangram topped the ratings across news channel.
The umbrella programming band Maharashtra kA Mahasangram comprised different programmes like:
1. Munnabhai MLA – Featuring the inimitable comic character Sourabh Shukla, this segment provided interesting quips, thoughts and discussions from various regions.
2. Election Local – Mumbai’s life line, the local train, was the setting for an open debate & forum on the real concerns and issues of the common man.
3. Mumbai Meri Jaan – This segment featured the who’s who of Mumbai talking about their hopes and expectations from their MLAs.
4. Chunav Ala Re – This segment show cased the Aaj Tak team’s on the spot reporting from the interiors of Maharashtra to unravel the grass-root problems and issues in the state.
5. Vote Cha Akhada – This was a one-on-one debate between two political heavyweights involving a well-represented audience to take the battle to the voters.
The release claims that Aaj Tak has been the leader on the counting day and has the highest channel share in all India and Maharashtra markets across different time-bands.
In a bid to bolster its claim, Aaj Tak also has quoted sources like Cybermedia and AC Nielsen, who they claim have reinforced Aaj Tak’s supremacy over the other news channels in terms of brand awareness, top-of-mind recall, excellence in presentation and many such critical parameters.
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.
