News Broadcasting
Dr Manmohan Singh to be PM; markets on a roll
MUMBAI: Two days of uncertainty came to an end this evening after it became clear that the “father of the Indian reform process” Dr Manmohan Singh would be India’s next Prime Minister.
With the issuance of a letter from the President Dr APJ Kalam to Dr Singh inviting him to form the next government brought the curtain down on what has been a period of great drama as well.
The markets also reacted positively to the developments. That the outgoing BJP government has been stands totally defanged as it were with Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi having withdrawn from the prime ministerial race is another positive development as well. Without any real divisive agenda to plonk their collective hats on, at least for the present, the country can hopefully look forward to issue based opposition from the BJP instead of the vicious campaigns that would have come into play if the “foreign origins issue” had been allowed to take centre stage.
The stock market rally that began yesterday continued today to take the Sensex up over 5,000-mark today, narrowing its Mondays losses.
After yesterday’s eight per cent upward move, the markets continued to gain even today. With 183 points up at one time, the market finally ended with a gain of 129.08 points, at 5,006.10.
As far as the broadcasting sector is concerned, news that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhaghan has agreed to join the Congress-led government at the Centre raises the possibility that party MP and CEO of Sun Network Dayanidhi Maran might have a position in the new cabinet that is expected to be announced over the next three days.
It was Maran, son of late Union minister Murasoli Maran and grand-nephew of DMK president M Karunanidhi, who made the announcement that the DMK was joining the government after Ms Gandhi met Karunanidhi as part of her efforts to get the backing of partners and allies for a new leader to head the Congress-led coalition.
The big question of course is whether Maran ( 37), an economics graduate and number 2 man in Sun after CMD Kalanidhi Maran, could now be in the running for the information & broadcasting ministry portfolio.
However, indiantelevision.com still believes that the frontrunner for I&B ministership remains former incumbent Jaipal Reddy (whose Broadcasting Bill is still gathering dust). What would go against Maran is that since he is heading a broadcast company, he would be seen as having too direct an interest in the matters pertaining to the I&B ministry.
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.
