News Broadcasting
Esha Media Research may foray into radio monitoring
KOLKATA: Esha Media Research, a media monitoring and research company, which currently monitors 140 channels across the nation, in all languages, is mulling to start radio monitoring.
The centre is considering allowing privately-owned FM radio channels to start their own news broadcast.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar in an earlier statement to the media had said, “My heart goes out to all the private FM players. I see no reason why it should not be allowed or why only All India Radio (AIR) can air news. Soon the auction for phase III will start and after that, one will hear the good news.”
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) listed Esha Media already has the system and technology for radio monitoring in place.
“We will start radio monitoring if the privately-owned FM radio channels start having dedicated news slots. We will see how many stations come up and what kind of news slots and contents are created for their news broadcast,” says Esha Media Research managing director RS Iyer.
He pinpoints that since radio can be played while on the move, so if the platform can create good programme schedules, then Esha is likely to do well in that vertical as well. Around 95 per cent of the research agency revenue is generated from the institutional clients, that is, corporate.
“If there is more corporate and current affairs content, it would be beneficial for us,” he says.
Presently, all the FM broadcasters, apart from AIR, are not allowed to air any news on current affairs, except for weather reports, stock market news and local traffic updates.
A city-based expert on the development says, “Once radio stations start airing news, the way advertisers and audience look at the medium will change. Apart from this, a lot of potential change in programming and tie ups with news agencies could be expected once the guidelines are clear.”
On Esha entering the radio monitoring space, he says, “It is a very progressive and logical step for Esha to foray into a similar business interest.”
Similarly, Incubators Group chairperson Kaushlendra Singh Sengar too feels that it is an innovative and good effort initiated by the company.
He, however, sounded a note of caution. He believes that keeping the future trend in mind it does not seem productive as today one can get news updates on phone, social networking portals and other web portals. “Listening to music on radio is one thing, but we can’t expect much growth in the near future for radio channels dedicated to news updates only.”
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.
