News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 dominates Bihar election coverage with record viewership
NEW DELHI: While Bihar was busy counting ballots, the rest of India was counting on CNN-News18. The news channel has turned its stunning Bihar election performance into a victory lap of its own, launching a bold front-page print campaign celebrating its dominance during one of the year’s most watched political events. And the numbers tell quite a story.
On 14 November, as the nation held its breath waiting for Bihar’s verdict, CNN-News18 captured an impressive 46.8 per cent market share during the critical counting hours between 7am and noon. To put that in perspective, the channel outperformed its three main rivals: Times Now, NDTV 24×7, and Republic TV – combined. The trio together managed just 44.2 per cent, trailing behind the solo leader.
It’s the kind of performance that makes competitors nervously check their own figures. Times Now and NDTV 24×7 each pulled 16.9 per cent, whilst Republic TV rounded out the rankings at 10.4 per cent. CNN-News18 essentially owned the day.
The channel wasted no time trumpeting its triumph with a clever print campaign headlined ‘When Bihar Was Counting Votes, India Was Counting on CNN-News18’. Confident? Absolutely. But when you’re pulling nearly half the viewership, perhaps you’ve earned the right.
What made viewers flock to CNN-News18 in such numbers? The channel deployed its heavyweight editorial team, including Zakka Jacob, Anand Narasimhan, Rahul Shivshankar, and Shivani Gupta, backed by an extensive ground reporting network across Bihar. The result was the kind of comprehensive, fast-paced coverage that keeps viewers glued during those nail-biting hours when every seat update matters.
Beyond just talking heads, CNN-News18 served up dynamic graphics, detailed explainers, and sharp data breakdowns that made complex electoral trends digestible for everyone, from political junkies to casual observers just wanting to know who won.
The Barc data, which tracked eight channels across India’s 15 plus age group with purchasing power, confirms what the print campaign celebrates: CNN-News18 has cemented itself as India’s go-to destination when elections roll around.
For a channel that promises ‘fast, factual, and first’ information, delivering on that pledge during high-stakes counting hours is where reputations are built or broken. On 14 November, CNN-News18 didn’t just deliver – it dominated, proving once again that when India wants to know what’s happening, they know exactly where to look.
The Bihar results may be history now, but CNN-News18’s commanding performance has set quite the benchmark for future election coverage. One thing’s certain, the competition will be watching those numbers closely, wondering how to close a gap that currently looks rather unbridgeable.
(Source: Barc India | Market: India | TG: 15+ AB | Period: Week 45’25 | Market Share % | 14 Nov, 07:00–12:00 hrs | 8 channels considered.)
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.
