News Broadcasting
ABP News ‘e-Shikhar Sammelan’ sets the stage for Bihar Assembly Elections
NEW DELHI: As political parties gear up for an intense electoral contest in the state of Bihar, India’s most-trusted Hindi news channel, ABP News, hosted another momentous edition of the day long virtual summit, “e-Shikhar Sammelan” on 25th October 2020, to shed light on the key issues of the state.
The flagship show brought to the fore, the promises and perspectives of the political parties in the upcoming assembly elections, insightful deliberations on local issues such as electricity, water & education, and stimulating discussions on other national imperatives such as COVID-19.
The renowned knowledge-sharing platform saw a diverse line-up of political luminaries such as Nitish Kumar (JD-U), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Chirag Paswan (LJP), Sushil Modi (BJP), Ashok Chaudhary (JDU), Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP), Randeep Surjewala (INC), Bhupendra Yadav (BJP), Shatrughan Sinha (INC), Gaurav Bhatia (BJP), Gaurav Vallabh (INC), Shivanand Tiwari (RJD), K.C. Tyagi (JDU), Sudhanshu Trivedi (BJP), AK Vajpayi (LJP), and Abhay Dubey (INC).
The e-summit helped political leaders adapt to the changing dynamics of the rallies and establish a new way to reach out to the voters. Adhering to social distancing norms, the virtual summit had the speakers meeting over video, beaming into the session from their offices, homes, etc. Ensuring perfect coordination amongst the dignitaries, the summit was moderated by versatile anchors of ABP News such as Sumit Awasthi, Romana Isar Khan, Rubika Liyaquat, and Shobna Yadav.
Elaborating on the e-summit, Mr. Avinash Pandey, CEO, ABP Network said, “As the traditional door-to-door campaigning takes a back seat in the prevailing scenario, the significance of traditional mediums like broadcast is paramount in reaching out to the masses. Every election season, our flagship summit, ‘Shikhar Sammelan’, brings important discourses of the state and the nation to public scrutiny – offering a platform to leaders to put forth their voice and establish a connect with the voters. This time too, these stimulating discussions will be crucial in setting the tone for the upcoming elections.”
About Shikhar Sammelan
A platform that deliberates on relevant issues of significance to the common people, Shikhar Sammelan provides an opportunity for both the government and opposition to debate on these challenges and outline the way forward.
Key Highlights:
1. Congress General Secretary, Mr. Randeep Surjewala expressed his thoughts on the upcoming elections, “Nitish Kumar is tried, tested, tired, failed, and retired. BJP will dump him as soon as the results are announced,” he said.
“Opposition now has the new energy in the form of Tejashwi Yadav who will reign in Bihar," he added.
2. Mr. Shatrughan Sinha said ''If Bihar is my strength, it is also my weakness and I can't remain silent on what is currently going on in Bihar. I appreciated Nitish Kumar when he did good for Bihar but if the captain is being lauded for good, it will be the captain who will receive criticism when the system is flawed."
“Tejashwi is the new energy of Bihar and will change Bihar's picture. He has the power to motivate the youth and the crowd. His rallies have shown his influence on the people of Bihar and the support he has garnered for RJD and Congress.” He added.
3. Union Minister Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “If NDA comes to power it will be a double engine government and Nitish Kumar will definitely become the next CM.”
Further defending the poll promise of Bharatiya Janata Party of providing free vaccine of Covid-19 in Bihar, Mr. Prasad added, “Healthcare getting mentioned in election manifesto is a revolutionary step and the free vaccine promise shows the party’s commitment towards people’s health.”
4. When Mr. Chirag Paswan was posed with a question on his political ambitions, the young politician said that he does not want to become the Chief Minister of Bihar. Instead, he wants to work for the development and betterment of the people in the state.
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.
