News Broadcasting
ET Now Swadesh will foment new investment revolution in the country: MK Anand
Mumbai: Times Network has launched its Hindi business news channel ET Swadesh on Monday.
The channel has unveiled its brand manifesto ‘Badlo Badho Desh Ke Saath’ and a special brand film that captures the brand genesis was released across the network channels and its social media handles.
The launch event was graced by India’s eminent policymakers and India Inc leaders including union minister for housing and urban affairs and minister of petroleum and natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri; union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari; union cabinet minister for women and child development Smriti Irani; ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, and Kedia Securities managing director Vijay Kedia among others.
To mark the occasion of the launch, Times Network managing director and chief executive officer MK Anand shared a message with viewers on the brand’s social platforms.
“The sweeping pace of change due to the Covid-19 pandemic in the past one-and-half years, has made it clear that those who do not adapt are bound to fail,” he said. “Despite all the challenges, India’s economy has shown tremendous growth. The stock market is at a new peak and a record number of demat accounts have been opened. India’s performance in the Olympics and Paralympics shows that the winds of change have been strong in the country.”
“More aware than ever people are aware that traditional methods of investing such as savings accounts and gold won’t be able to fulfil their goals with respect to capital creation and fulfilling their dreams. It is in the spirit of this change, we have launched our new Hindi offering, ET Now Swadesh, to contribute to the financial well-being of every citizen of the country,” Anand further said.
“We have unwavering faith in the growth story of India and hope to take our ‘Rise with India’ mission to crores of Hindi audience through ET Now Swadesh. With our expertise and the faith of our viewers combined, ET Now Swadesh with its motto ‘Badlo Badho Desh Ke Saath’ will become instrumental in fomenting a new investment revolution in the country,” he concluded.
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.
