News Broadcasting
Govt tells SC NDTV note on ‘violation’ unacceptable, agrees to hearing
MUMBAI: The central government on Saturday told the Supreme Court that NDTV India has not apologised but only sent a note over the alleged violation of telecast norms during the Pathankot attack, which is not acceptable. New Delhi Television Ltd earlier told apex court that it will not tender an apology for the coverage on 2 January 2016.
Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar told a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and A K Sikri that the note from the TV channel does not seek apology in “explicit” terms, and hence cannot be accepted, the PTI reported. Advocate Harish Salve, appearing on behalf of NDTV, said then the channel would prefer hearing of its petition.
The government put the ban in abeyance after the NDTV group moved the Supreme Court against the one-day ban imposed for 9 November, 2016. On 3 November, 2016, the ministry of information & broadcasting (MIB) asked NDTV India to go off-air for a day for revealing sensitive details on the Pathankot attack.
Kumar meantime agreed to the hearing of the petition filed by the channel against the MIB order. The court posted the matter for hearing after three weeks.
Also Read:
NDTV won’t apologise for Pathankot coverage
NDTV India ban reversal: Centre wants apology, counsel seeks time from SC
Govt hands NDTV India 24-hr ban for breach of content code
NDTV ban: SC to hear appeal today
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.
