News Broadcasting
CNN News18 tackles key issues Shaping Karnataka Elections
Mumbai: After successful editions in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, CNN News18 Town Hall comes to the Silicon Valley of the country, Bengaluru with a platform which is bigger and better. The Bengaluru Town Hall will be held on February 7 2023, 4pm onwards and will bring together prominent political figures, industry leaders and cultural icons to discuss key issues that will shape the upcoming elections in Karnataka. The conversations would be centred around the theme “Will Karnataka Vote for Continuity or Change?”
The Town Hall will feature chief minister of Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai who will share his views on the theme, followed by a discussion with DK Shivakumar, President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).
Infosys Former Director and padma shri awardee, Mohandas Pai will share his views on the topic, “How to make elected Netas prioritize Bangalore’s infrastructure?” The event will also be joined by PhonePe founder & CEO Sameer Nigam who will put forward his views on the theme of “Can Bengaluru retain its edge as India’s startup capital?”
The evening will further witness a discussion with Actor Chetan Ahimsa followed by a discussion with Historian Vikram Sampath on “From Savarkar to Tipu, Karnataka election narrative to be dominated by historic figures?”. The last session of the evening will be with Kiccha Sudeepa, Actor & Director, on the theme of “Is South Indian cinema better than Bollywood?”
Speaking about the upcoming event, CNN News18 managing editor Zakka Jakob said, “CNN-News18 Town Hall is a dynamic platform where thought leaders engage in informed conversations and provide their nuanced opinions on themes that are relevant to the local people in that state. We are honoured to bring together these prominent figures to share their perspectives and insights on the future of Karnataka. CNN News18 always strives to provide a stellar repertoire of content across all formats.”
Network18 CEO Business Cluster Smriti Mehra said, “Having received a tremendous positive response to the previous events held in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, we are now ready to host this marquee event with distinguished personalities in Bengaluru. As the No. 1 English News Channel in India, CNN News18 is able to put a spotlight on local issues through its Town Halls. We also thank our partners for their trust in CNN News18 and associating with this property.”
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.
