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CNBC-TV18 launches Market Forum on investing opportunities for 2026
MUMBAI: CNBC-TV18 is sharpening its focus on the future of investing with the launch of a new flagship property, CNBC-TV18 Market Forum: The Alpha Generators for 2026. Designed as an invitation-only, on-ground gathering, the forum will convene some of India’s most trusted voices in markets, banking and macroeconomics to explore where real returns may be forged in the year ahead. The inaugural edition will be held in Mumbai on 13 January.
Think of it as a closed-door huddle of market veterans, where the conversation moves beyond daily noise and headline trades to the deeper currents shaping India’s investment story. With global capital flows shifting, policy priorities evolving and growth patterns being redefined, the forum aims to unpack the ideas, frameworks and convictions that could matter most in 2026.
The evening opens with a keynote conversation between two market heavyweights, Manish Chokhani of Enam Holdings and Raamdeo Agrawal of Motilal Oswal Financial Services. That is followed by a focused discussion between Agrawal and Sanjay Agarwal, MD and CEO of AU Small Finance Bank, tracing the bank’s multi-bagger journey and what may lie ahead.
A CIO panel will then turn the spotlight on the road to alpha after a testing 15 to 18 months for investors. Sandeep Tandon of Quant Mutual Fund, Taher Badshah of Invesco Mutual Fund and Neelesh Surana of Mirae Asset Investment Managers will share how they are reading opportunities, especially across broader markets.
The macro picture will round off the evening, with a discussion on economic trends and Budget expectations featuring Neelkanth Mishra of Axis Bank and Axis Capital, Sajjid Chinoy of JPMorgan and Saion Mukherjee of Nomura India. Together, they promise a wide-angle view of India’s market landscape across sectors and asset classes.
Announcing the launch, CNBC-TV18 managing editor Shereen Bhan, said the forum is about spotting alpha before it turns obvious. In a volatile world, she noted, long-term wealth creation calls for clear thinking, strong frameworks and conviction-led choices.
Network18 CEO of English and business news Smriti Mehra, added that the Market Forum is built to offer depth, trust and relevance, connecting audiences with insights that can shape long-term value.
Partnered by Mirae Asset Mutual Fund and ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, with Reliance Industries as associate partner, the CNBC-TV18 Market Forum signals the network’s intent to make this the room where India’s most meaningful market conversations begin, well ahead of the consensus.
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.
