News Broadcasting
CBS showcases its social endeavors; reports released
MUMBAI: CBS, in a corporate social responsibility (CSR) endeavor, has catalogued efforts by its television network, programming arms and local television stations has released a 94-page social responsibility report.
This comes as the second edition which spans the previous calendar year, encompassing activities of all divisions of CBS, including CBS Entertainment, CBS News, CBS Sports, the Viacom Television Stations Group and UPN.
Additionally, for the first time, Infinity broadcasting, the owner of 184 market-leading stations, has issued a report highlighting its efforts in community outreach, programming and commitment to local artists.
“We’ve always believed that being a corporate citizen and giving back to the communities we serve is not just good for business, but part of what it means to be a broadcaster,” said CBS chairman and Viacom co-president and co-CEO Leslie Moonves, “These reports highlight the efforts both CBS and Infinity have made in important areas like outreach, programming, dedication and support of local talent, and diversity, and they serve as a guide for us as we continue to make these missions a priority at the highest levels of this company.”
The reports entail Diversity Initiatives, including the recently-formed CBS Diversity Institute, its talent showcases, industry-partners, as well as the programs offered through CBS News and the Viacom Television Stations;
.Local public-interest programming like food and clothing drives, disaster preparedness, tax help and health seminars; on-air programs and events sponsored by Infinity.
.Broadcasting stations highlighting music and performances by local musicians in their markets.
.Accessible Media programs like closed-captioning? and Second Audio Programming, which CBS continues to be a leader in providing.
.National and local broadcast of public service? announcements for causes like responsible drinking, child abuse prevention, HIV awareness, racial tolerance, alcohol and substance abuse, parenting, violence prevention and hunger/ disaster relief.
.Infinity Radio Connect,” a series of national? interviews and call-in specials with government leaders like Sen.
.Hillary Rodham Clinton and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, which were made available to many Infinity stations throughout the year.
.Local broadcasts of community parades, festivals? and fund-raisers, as well as the sponsorship of hundreds of local community events like food and clothing drives and telethons.
.CBS News’ coverage of the war in Iraq, including? its “embedded” soldiers. Also highlighted are many of the hundreds of stories produced by CBS News that have affected – and in many cases benefited – the lives of viewers.
“We’re very proud to issue these two comprehensive reports – they are representative of the contributions our company has made throughout the country, on both a local and national level,” said CBS communications group executive vice president Gil Schwartz, “This is a yearly effort we make to highlight our achievements in these important areas.”
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.
