News Broadcasting
CNN scores big in headliner awards competition in the US
MUMBAI: CNN has won kudos for last year’s coverage of the Iraq war. The broadcaster got all three awards in the major news event category. It also earned first-place honours for its war-related coverage in the 70th Annual National Headliner Awards contest in the US.
The awards will be presented at a ceremony on 15 May in Atlantic City New Jersey. The broadcaster’s staff took first place in the coverage of a major news event category for Capture of Saddam Hussein the network’s exclusive coverage about the capture of the disposed Iraqi president. CNN claims to have been the first television network to break the news of the 4th US Infantry Division effort to detain Saddam. the broadcaster aired video of US troops celebrating after the successful mission.
Its documentary Fit to Kill which dealt with wartime killing was also cited. CNN and senior political correspondent Candy Crowley took viewers through the personal stories of veterans from World War II to Operation Iraqi Freedom. The special examined how soldiers are trained to kill, what they experience as they kill and the consequences of this action on their lives.
In addition NewsNight with Aaron Brown won for the special Blackout. Shuttle Columbia Disaster also won a trophy. In the newscast category the third place went to correspondent Paula Zahn for Fall of Saddam.
The National Headliner Awards competition was founded in 1934 by the Press Club of Atlantic City. The awards are presented to photographers, writers, graphic artists, daily newspapers, news syndicates, radio and television stations, TV and radio networks and magazines.
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.
