News Broadcasting
CNBC-TV18 Prime Circle sets the stage for a global mind jam
MUMBAI: The suits are getting serious and global. CNBC-TV18 Prime is all set to unveil its latest brainchild: the Prime Circle, a high-octane, invitation-only gathering of heavyweight thinkers, business titans and policy pundits. The debut edition kicks off on 16 July in partnership with HDFC Tru, promising an evening brimming with ideas, intellect and a splash of wine wisdom.
Designed as a marquee platform for global dialogue, Prime Circle will bring together powerhouses navigating today’s fractured world from macroeconomic mayhem to AI overdrive and geopolitical chess.
On the speakers’ list: Manny Maceda, chairman of Bain & Company; Robert Rosenkranz, chairman of Delphi Capital Management; George Yeo, former foreign affairs minister of Singapore; Shyam Saran, ex-foreign secretary of India; and Dhiraj Relli, MD and CEO at HDFC Securities. These aren’t your everyday talking heads, they’re the ones shaping the playbook.
Adding sparkle to the evening: Sonal Holland, India’s only Master of Wine, who’ll uncork a curated tasting session to keep the conversation as smooth as the pour.
Speaking about the event, Smriti Mehra, CEO, Business News, Network18 from CNBC-TV18 Prime said, “CNBC-TV18 Prime aims to bring the pulse of global markets to India through an India-first lens. With Prime Circle, we are creating a marquee platform for high-impact, strategic conversations that reflect the opportunities and risks for India, a global force to recon with . We are honoured to welcome an exceptional line-up of voices who offer real perspective, experience, and foresight.”
Speaking on the partnership, Relli stated, “Our partnership with CNBC-TV18 Prime enables us to leverage our research-driven expertise to deliver actionable market insights and foster financial literacy across television and digital platforms. We look forward to co-creating impactful content, engaging with investors at marquee events, and, through the upcoming Prime Circle event, facilitating meaningful global dialogue that shapes the future of India’s capital markets.”
The Prime Circle is CNBC-TV18 Prime’s bid to push past the predictable panel and into something punchier: a space where power meets perspective, with a twist of terroir.
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.
