News Broadcasting
GoM set to discuss FDI in DTH Thursday
NEW DELHI: A group of ministers (GoM) is slated to discuss tomorrow foreign direct investment (FDI) in various sectors, including direct to-home television broadcasting venture, and examine whether the existing FDI cap can be reviewed.
According to government sources, the GoM that was supposed to have met in the recent past, but could not because of the absence from town of some key ministers, would have a look at the FDI in various sectors, including whether it makes sense to raise the 20 per cent FDI cap in DTH sector to 49 per cent.
The sources also indicated that though it does not fall technically within the ambit of the GoM, but the group, comprising some of the powerful ministers in the Indian government, may also discuss in the passing the issue of FDI in news channels desirous of uplinking from India — an issue that will be taken up in entirety by the full Cabinet.
In a related development, the sources also said that the full Cabinet is unlikely to meet before the presentation of the Budget on 28 February to discuss any issues. The Cabinet would meet on Friday morning, but it is highly unlikely that it would take up the uplinking issue for discussion that day.
The GoM comprises ministers of home affairs (who also happen to the deputy Prime Minister), finance, commerce and industry, IT & telecom, amongst others.
The GoMs agenda is to take up the NK Singh panel report that has made various suggestions, including increasing FDI cap in sectors like insurance, civil aviation and DTH. The panel had been constituted last year, at the behest of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, to look at ways to increase the FDI inflow into the country.
But the Union Cabinet has been divided over the Singh panel report. For example, former information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj was staunchly opposed to any review of the existing DTH policy guideline and, during an interaction with journalists late last year, had categorically said her ministry had “rejected” the Singh panel suggestion on DTH.
But with a new I&B minister Ravi Shankar Prasad still trying to find his feet in the ministry and understand the issues related to his ministry, it is yet to be seen the stand his ministry takes on the FDI cap in DTH that is cited as one of the reasons by interested players in delaying business plans.
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.
