News Broadcasting
Former US Congressman J C Watts Jr. joins CNN as contributor
MUMBAI: Former US congressman J C Watts Jr will join CNN as a regular contributor to offer analysis on politics and policy for programs throughout the network. The announcement was made by CNN US president Jon Klein.
“J C is one of the most respected and effective conservative communicators in the nation’s capital. We are glad to welcome him to the CNN team and look forward to his insightful contributions to our network,” Klein said.
Watts was elected to the US Congress from the fourth district of Oklahoma in 1994. In 1998, he was elected by his peers to serve as chairman of the Republican Conference, the fourth-ranking leadership position in the majority party in the US House of Representatives.
As a member of Congress, Watts served for eight years on the House Armed Services Committee and later on the House Select Committee on Homeland Security. Watts was the author of president George W Bush’s faith-based initiative, the Community Solutions Act of 2001.
Currently, Watts is the chairman of the J C Watts Companies, where he owns and operates several businesses and works with clients on business growth and public affairs strategies. He advises or serves as a corporate director for several major companies, including John Deere, Wells Fargo, Nascar, SBC Communications, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Clear Channel Communications, Dillard’s Department Stores and Terex Corporation. Watts also writes a bi-monthly column for more than a dozen newspapers.
He attended the University of Oklahoma, where he graduated in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. At Oklahoma, Watts was quarterback for the Sooners, leading them to two consecutive Big Eight championships and Orange Bowl victories.
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.
