News Broadcasting
CNN-IBN and IBN7 to air specials in ‘Vote on Account’
NEW DELHI: CNN-IBN and IBN7 will air a detailed analysis of ‘Vote on Account’ in the special week-long programming Budget before Ballot and Budget @ Elections.
The programmes scrutinise the Interim Budget presented by the government. Says IBN18 Network editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai, “As the government presents the Vote on Account before the General Elections, we bring the special programming that covers the entire proceedings of the Parliament along with an in-depth analysis with eminent experts.”
A pre-budget half-hour show on 15 February will be telecast on CNN-IBN which will review the various sectors of the economy by discussing and anticipating the announcements the government might make in the Parliament the following day.
Additionally on 15 February at 9:30 pm, IBN7 will showcase Budget @ Elections – a studio-based program with representatives from both urban and rural India highlighting their expectations from the Budget. The demands of people will be assimilated in the Citizens’ Demand Charter and will be presented to the Finance Minister.
And on 16 February, CNN-IBN will bring live coverage from the Parliament and discuss the Budget with eminent economists. At 10 pm, the channel will air a show featuring key opinion makers of Indian economy like Yashwant Sinha and Sitaram Yechury to analyse the Interim Budget and its impact on the common man.
IBN7 will also cover the Budget presented in the Parliament live which will be later followed by the second episode of Budget @ Election’ at 8:30 pm. This will review the Budget and analyse the state of the Indian economy during the time of recession and the challenges that lie ahead, with experts joining the discussion in the studio.
News Broadcasting
Network18 trims FY26 losses as Q4 revenue touches Rs 1,955 crore, 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.
