News Broadcasting
CNBC India launches forum for Indian telecom industry
MUMBAI: Business channel CNBC India has linked up with Computer Associates to launch ‘Telecom Turf’, touted as the first of its kind corporate colloquium of the Indian telecom Industry.
The channel says ‘The Telecom Turf’ will focus on challenges as well as parameters for growth in this sector, developments on limited mobility telephony, funding pressure, price wars and consolidation in the industry, among other issues. Initiated by a panel of corporate chieftains and thinkers from the industry, this interactive session is to be held on 19 July at the Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai.
This event for the telecom industry acquires significance in the light of the current developments in this space, currently undergoing a transition with respect to regulations, technology and private sector participation. The telecom industry is going through a critical phase in its evolution in India and decisions that are being taken today are likely to have a far-reaching impact on the future of individual businesses and the sector as a whole. The panel of speakers from the telecom industry would comprise personalities like Akhil Gupta (CEO Corporate Development Reliance Industries) F B Cardozo (BPL Mobile), Pramod Saxena (CEO Motorola), Amitabh Kumar (Zee Televentures), Akhil Gupta (Jt. MD Bharti Telecom), Shyamal Ghosh (Universal Service Fund Administrator & Ex-Secretary – Dept of Telecommunications) and Rajiv Mehrotra (President ABTO).
Computer Associates claims to be a leading provider of e-business infrastructure management solutions in India.
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.
