News Broadcasting
CNBC Awaaz brings Storyboard in its Hindi avatar
MUMBAI: CNBC Awaaz, the Hindi business news channel from the TV18 stable, is introducing Storyboard in Hindi. The weekly show will be aired every Friday at 9.30 pm.
The show focuses on ad executives who find connect with consumers through their campaigns. Storyboard in Hindi will be about the consumer, his mindset, his spending power, his psyche and his lifestyle.
The show on CNBC Awaaz will also be hosted by CNBC TV18 features editor and editor-anchor of Storyboard, Anuradha SenGupta.
Sengupta says, “I am really happy to announce the launch of Storyboard in Hindi. Over the years, Storyboard has reached out to millions of viewers across the country. We wanted to go a step and hence we thought that it was the right time to take the next big step and reach out to a diverse audience.”
To create a buzz around this unique concept of the show, CNBC Awaaz had announced a contest wherein the contestant had to craft a launch campaign for a special edition of Storyboard. The winner will be entitled to an all expenses paid trip to the Cannes Lions – International Advertising Festival this year.
“Cannes Lions is the Oscars for any advertising or marketing professional and a trip there is an ideal reward for the winner of the launch contest,” Sengupta added.
CNBC Awaaz also launched a creative campaign for Storyboard in Hindi conceived by Cell 18. The press ads used the Hindi alphabet to create connections between brands and Hindi language.
Speaking on the campaign, Network Creative Director Zubin Driver said, “Only a leader can be self effacing and chuckle at oneself. And that’s exactly what we did in a series of clever creative units that brought home the Hindi launch and made it funny and unconventional at the same time. Our creative team has done an excellent job in executing these promos and it was a fun ride all the way!”
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.
