News Broadcasting
“Creating economically viable, technology-enabled, corruption-free sustainable development to boost public transport”: Nitin Gadkari at News18 India Chaupal
Mumbai: Hindi news channel, News18 India hosted its flagship summit at the prestigious Taj Palace in Delhi. The latest edition of the marquee initiative, News18 India Chaupal, saw a stellar line-up of the nation’s most distinguished thought leaders and youth icons who deliberated and shared insights about India’s role as “Vishwaguru”.
Emphasising on the government’s focus on transparent, result-oriented, and qualitative work, the Hon’ble Minister of Road Transportation and Highways, Nitin Gadkari said, “The growth and development seen in India is testimony to the unwavering commitment of the government. We believe that politics is the instrument of socio economic reform and hence, the centre is developing logistics clusters worth Rs 2 lakh crore across the country. The visible change in the development of infrastructure in the country speaks for the performance of the government led by PM Modi. Our aim has been to focus on agriculture science,water conservation, waste management, plastic recycling, and renewable energy, all of which are crucial factors that will define this decade.”
He further added, “The construction of roads is a way to achieve progress, employment, and development, therefore, I have conducted work in my department worth more than Rs. 50 lakh crore. Our mission is to reduce air, water, and noise pollution in Delhi by 50 to 60 per cent in the coming years. Delhi is the pride of the nation and we will soon allocate 1000 crores towards the cleaning and expansion of the capital’s roads and logistical capacities. To reduce the import of aluminium, copper, and plastics, we have introduced a scrapping policy. We welcome Tesla to India, but they have their own conditions for entry into the market. Only through modernizing our roads and highways, can we create industrial clusters, develop logistic parks, establish smart cities and bolster our sustainable development models. Water, power, transport, and communication are needed for national wealth generation and the prerequisites for generating new avenues of employment. Our government is conviction-oriented and goal-centric. Our modus operandi has always been to create economically viable, technology-enabled, corruption-free sustainable development models that benefit the common people of India”.
Taking a jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his democracy remarks made in London, UK, Nitin Gadkari said, “The fact that he is speaking outside is proof that we have not shut off his microphone. In a democratic setup, the division of votes is a crucial factor in politics. Our positive performance has resulted in an increase in votes for us”.
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.
