News Broadcasting
ABP Group ropes in 82.5 Communications for launch of ABP Desam
Mumbai: ABP Group has partnered with 82.5 Communications for the launch of its regional news platform ABP Desam in two Indian states – Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The agency’s Bengaluru office will handle the business.
The launch campaign of ABP Desam is based on the central insight that regardless of borders, the people of these two states share the same interests. It highlights and celebrates the pride every Teluguites carry within themselves when it comes to their culture and especially their language, the agency said in a statement.
“It has been incredible working with 82.5 Communications on the launch of our new Telugu digital platform, ABP Desam,” said ABP Network CEO, Avinash Pandey. “They understood the Telugu market, and coalesced their creative concepts with regional elements, which made the campaign well-suited to our vision for ABP Desam.”
“Telegu is more than a language. It’s a sense of belonging, it’s a matter of pride, it’s a way of building community. That’s how passionate the people of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are towards their language,” said 82.5 Communications – South, SVP and branch head, Naveen Raman. “We worked on that insight to celebrate their love towards the language through ABP Desam. This thinking is yet another example of what we as an agency do best – be a truly Indian agency by having an insider point of view and approach every time. We did it super successfully for ABP Nadu in Tamil Nadu. And now we are proud to do it again for ABP Desam.”
82.5 Communications – South, group creative directors Sangeetha Sampath and Ravi Cherussola added, “The unique history of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana requires an adept understanding of the people, their interests, and passions. A hyper-local approach is of the absolute essence because when it comes to something as serious as news, the regional truth becomes important. The launch digital film celebrates and highlights this via the digital film, social media work, and more.”
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.
