News Broadcasting
CNN goes the Thai way
MUMBAI: CNN has announced a series of specials later this month that will focus on popular tourist destination Thailand.
Anchor/correspondent Lian Pek talks to business leaders and entrepreneurs and examines various business stories from inside the country from 14 to 18 October, in a series of special reports. The topics range from pizzas, the country’s film industry to the threat of music piracy.
On 14 October, Copyright Fee Controversy take centrestage. The land of the pirated CD in Thailand is struggling to come to terms with paying copyright fees as some of the country’s biggest music companies vow to collect fees from entertainment businesses that use their recordings. The Thai government has also been lobbied to set up a one-stop collection center. CNN will examine this controversial collection drive in this special report.
Pizza Warrior airs on 15 October. A longtime foreign investor in Thailand, Bill Heinecke is in charge of the Minor Group, which used to have a decades-old relationship with Pizza Hut. Heinecke discusses his vision on doing business in the country and his newly set up pizza chain, Pizza Company.
The next day Challenging CEOs features an interview with the Chairman and CEO of the C.P. Group – Dhanin Chearavanont. He is Thailands leading agri-businessman, who made this year’s Forbes list of billionaires.
New Karaoke Trend sees Pek looking into the latest karaoke trend in Thailand. Coin-operated booths in department stores are getting more popular, making karaoke as much a daytime activity as a nighttime activity. The new phenomenon is filling the gap between the upmarket lounges and roadside foodstalls with karaoke facilities. CNN takes a close look at how this business is flourishing.
The programmes end with Thai Film Industry Revival on 18 October. The revival of the Thai film industry in recent years is encouraging entertainment companies to invest more in local productions. Some of these productions are earning international recognition. In this special report, CNN looks at the health of the film industry in Thailand.
The shows air on News Biz Today: Monday to Friday at 6 am (live) as well as Biz Asia: Monday to Friday at 7:30 pm (live), with repeats at 9 pm Hong Kong time.
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.
