News Broadcasting
CNBC to beef up weekends with new shows
MUMBAI: In an attempt to enhance its offering on weekends, CNBC TV18 has launched new shows on variety of topics ranging from business, entertainment, luxury and current affairs.
In the current affairs section, India Business Week will provide viewers with an insight on what to expect in the coming week, be it business, politics, sports or entertainment and recap of the best of the previous week.
In the corporate focus section, Wealth Creators will give viewers an insight into the world of India’s new generation of corporate czars. The show will feature the success stories of men and women who have created “enormous shareholder value” and have grown their businesses to a world class level. Wealth Creators will be hosted by Mitali Mukerjee.
Another show, Indianomics hosted by Latha Venkatesh, will aim at giving viewers an insight on the Indian economy, gathering from cues on what is happening in the global economy and the macro-economic story of India.
Menaka Doshi will present Riders in the Storm, a series that will feature India’s leading companies and pull the spotlight on one particular CEO every week.
Speaking on this development, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC AWAAZ VP marketing Neel Chowdhury said, “CNBC-TV18 has always been a category leader in terms of programming forays and innovative content. We felt that the time was ripe to introduce viewers to a wide variety of programming that will attract a wider and newer audience to our fold, and enrich the viewing experience of our loyal viewers. Hence the introduction of comprehensive programming that caters to all genres of audiences.”
In the Lifestyle section, Must Do will talk about books, movies, art exhibitions to attend and best food joints.
Beautiful People, hosted by Anuradha Sengupta, will feature rich and famous personalities. The interview-based show will focus on the professional lives and will touch on three key areas – the latest project, art and craft, career milestones and lessons on how individuals negotiate on a commercial landscape.
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.
