News Broadcasting
Andhra’s political turf war heats up on India Today’s ‘Elections on My Plate’
Mumbai: India Today, an English news channel, is all set to tantalise the taste buds of viewers with a sizzling political showdown accompanied by the spicy culinary delights of Andhra Pradesh through its election special, “Elections on My Plate”.
The channel’s consulting editor, Rajdeep Sardesai, is currently traversing through the southern state with a unique concept, blending analysis, interviews, and on-ground reports while indulging in the local gastronomy for the audience.
This Friday, 3 May, Rajdeep is geared up to present exclusive interviews with two political powerhouses of the state – N Chandrababu Naidu, the chief of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, and the charismatic Telugu film star Pawan Kalyan, who leads the regional outfit Jan Sena Party (JSP).
Andhra Pradesh commands special attention as it gears up to cast its vote for the new Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly simultaneously on 13 May, marking the fourth phase of the seven-phased General Elections 2024.
Adding intrigue to the Andhra elections is the alliance between Naidu and Pawan Kalyan, who joined forces to challenge the incumbent chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy. They have now aligned with India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSR Congress Party, which dominated the Andhra polls in 2019, winning 22 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats and 151 out of 175 seats in the state assembly, has long been perceived as an implicit ally of the national BJP.
Rajdeep Sardesai engaged in candid discussions with Chandrababu Naidu in Vijayawada and Pawan Kalyan in Jaggampeta, posing pointed questions in his signature style to elucidate why Andhra voters should support their alliance this time around.
Previously, Rajdeep interviewed Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy in Visakhapatnam, probing into allegations of corruption against his administration and his authoritative leadership style.
Keep tuned to India Today to unravel the complexities of Andhra Pradesh politics, capturing the essence of both the visible and underlying dynamics in the state through Rajdeep Sardesai’s insightful interviews with key players shaping the political landscape of Andhra Pradesh.
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.
