News Broadcasting
CNN launches On The Road initiative with Paula Newton
MUMBAI: CNN has launched an initiative On The Road where CNN International correspondent Paula Newton will travel across the country, through schools, temples, cricket grounds and dance academies to meet the youthful Indians.
The half-hour special will be aired on 26 February at 4 pm and 10 pm, 27 February at 8 pm, 28 February at 7 pm, 1 March at 4 pm and 11 pm and 2 March from 10 pm and 3 pm.
The coverage includes Einstein in the Village, which will inspire impoverished children in rural India to change their country’s destiny with science. Serving up Success is another coverage where Jaipur will witness mid-day meal program, which will become a transformative force for children’s education and ensures India’s newest generation will be well-nourished enough to meet its full potential. It also includes Guru Knows Best where Amritsar will be visited during most spiritual time of the year to speak with devout Sikhs who will tutor the young generation to preserve and strengthen their faith.
Cricket Dreams and A Passion for Dance are the other two coverage. In Cricket Dreams, young cricketers and their families will find out whether an academy system similar to European football academies can help their game and their dreams. In A Passion for Dance coverage, Kolkata will witness the presence of choreographer Tanushree Shankar who will teach children traditional and modern dance forms.
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.
