News Broadcasting
CNN-Time tsunami poll sees Indians as more satisfied with international aid effort
MUMBAI: The findings of the CNN – Time poll, which was conducted by TNS revealed that citizens in two of the worst hit countries by the Asian tsunami were more satisfied with the way the international community responded to their situation than with the way their own governments responded.
Whilst on average, 74.4 per cent of respondents in the two countries surveyed, India and Indonesia, believe that the response of both their respective governments and that of the international community to their country’s situation was satisfactory, more respondents in both countries reported being satisfied by the response of the international community.
In Indonesia, where satisfaction was found to be higher overall, positive sentiment saw more than eight in 10 Indonesians (82 per cent) satisfied by the efforts of the international community compared with 75 per cent who expressed satisfaction with response by the Indonesian government.
In India, more than one quarter (27.3 per cent) of those polled reported being dissatisfied with the response from the Indian government – more than five per cent higher than the 22 per cent who were not satisfied with the response from the international community.
Commenting on the findings, TNS Indonesia associate director Daniel Lindgren said, “The response to the disaster has been overwhelming, as highlighted by the generally positive results. In Indonesia, aid material was coming into Jakarta quicker than it could be dispatched. And foreign aid companies were met by red tape and other difficulties when trying to access the more remote areas, in particular in Aceh. People are very well informed about events here and as a result the satisfaction with the Government’s support is lower.”
TNS Hong Kong associate director Andrew Davison, on the other hand says, “This is the first time in the history of India, that the Indian Government has declined foreign aid as far possible in a bid to come through a tragedy on its own. Such an apparently dogmatic approach combined with the inevitable pockets of disgruntlement in cases where aid has not reached the ground as quickly as it should have are most likely the reasons for the higher levels of dissatisfaction we see expressed in India than in Indonesia. However, in India, the government’s stance has instilled a sense of pride and self confidence in the Indian public as well as a realisation that the Indian economy has come of age to the point where it is capable of taking care of its own.”
This CNN-Time poll was conducted from 15 January to 17 January, 2005. Fieldwork in India was conducted in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, and in Indonesia in Jakarta only. The survey covered a random sample of 1,530 respondents; 1,025 adults in India and 505 in Indonesia. Total results are presented at 95 per cent confidence levels with a maximum margin of error of +/- 2.6 per cent.
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.
