News Broadcasting
Business decision makers prefer CNN among pan-Asian news channels: PAX
MUMBAI: As CNN celebrates its 25 anniversary, the latest findings of Pan Asian Cross Media Survey (PAX) states that CNN International is the number-one pan-regional channel for business decision makers, top management and high income earners.
According to a press release, the PAX study reveals that CNN International demonstrates the highest year-on-year growth across all demographic groups with an increase of almost one million monthly viewers, and records the highest growth rate in the news/business genre among the total PAX audience.
The survey was conducted by Synovate during the period between April 2004-March 2005, states that CNN International has been consistently the leader in the news-business genre, with twice the daily audience of the next largest news/business channel and over one million more weekly viewers.
Additionally, almost half (49 per cent) of CNN weekly viewers are exclusive to the channel, watching no other international news/business channels.
Turner International Asia Pacific Ltd. vice president research Ducan Morris said, “This latest set of results shows CNN viewing at an all-time high, with audiences at unprecedented levels since the beginning of the rolling annual PAX survey. Just as significant, is the fact that such a high proportion of our viewers watch no other news/business channel. In fact, CNN’s exclusive audience is almost as large as the 2nd placed news channel’s total audience on a weekly basis and exceeds it on a daily basis.”
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.
