News Broadcasting
Agricultural programmes find space on DD channels: Prasar Bharati
MUMBAI: Doordarshan telecasts 30-minute programmes on agriculture six days a week from Monday to Saturday at 6:30 am, Prasar Bharati has said.
Additionally in 18 States, specific agriculture programmes are being telecast for a duration of 30 minutes five days a week from Monday to Friday and over 36 clusters across the country, area specific agricultural programmes are being telecast on narrowcast mode.
As regards Akashvani, almost all stations of All India Radio are broadcasting programmes for farmers daily in the morning, noon and evening. The average duration of agriculture based programmes is 60 to 100 minutes per day. An exclusive project titled Kisan Vani has been launched in association with the Ministry of Agriculture.
Further, the prices of agricultural products in different Mandis are being telecasted five days a week Monday to Friday through Mandi Bhav Bulletins on the national channel of Doordarshan and through 18 regional channels covering 18 States and also on narrowcasting clusters in respect of these States.
In addition, Minimum Support Price (MSP) of agricultural commodities are also being telecasted repeatedly on national channel and regional channels and all narrowcasting clusters. On Akashwani, the retail prices of agricultural produce are being broadcast and they are also included in News bulletins.
This Information was given by Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, P R Dasmunsi in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.
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.
