News Broadcasting
CNBC-TV18 revamps its primetime band with four shows
MUMBAI: CNBC-TV18 has now stepped up its 8 pm to 11 pm primetime band of business programming, giving it a fresh appeal. The English business news channel has lined-up shows such as Business Center, India Business Hour, India Tonight and Nation’s Business.
TV18 promoter Raghav Bahl will be hosting the show Nation’s Business.
Speaking on the revamped programming line-up CNBC-TV18 CEO Haresh Chawla says, “Innovatively conceptualized business programming has always driven CNBC-TV18 to go beyond the limit and achieve more. By pepping up the 8-11pm shows in a new, international format, we are catering to the growing demands of our viewers, and revolutionizing the very concept of business news and programming in India. Through this elegant line-up of shows, CNBC-TV18 aims at drawing in younger audiences and making primetime business programming a more enjoyable experience.”
The channel will air Business Center from 8 pm to 9 pm, which will provide crisp news in an all new international format flowing from business to the markets, current affairs, business updates and international business news. The hottest news of the day is analysed in ‘what’s hot’, placing viewers at the center of business. It is hosted by some of CNBC-TV18’s familiar faces, like Udayan Mukherjee, Senthil Chengalvarayan, Vivek Law and others, informs an official release.
The channel will showcase, India Business Hour from 9 pm to 10 pm. While, from 10 pm to 10 30 pm, Nation’s Business will provide a backgrounder to business updates by connecting them to political decisions and public policy. The channel claims to provide the complete picture through Nation’s Business.
Karan Thapar will host India Tonight from 10:30 pm to 11 pm as he quizzes the high and mighty in his own inimitable style.
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.
