News Broadcasting
Govt to seek EC view on FM imbroglio
NEW DELHI: In a bid to buy time, which would also result in some benefit to the private FM players, the Indian government proposes to refer the issue to the Election Commission after the finance ministry airs its view on the matter.
According to sources in the information and broadcasting ministry, the finance ministry’s views on the issue were not available till 1 pm on Wednesday. But, it was pointed out, that whatever may be the stand, the issue would be referred to the election regulator as the “government does not want to take any steps that would raise the hackles of the opposition parties or the EC.”
This step, some observers felt, is likely to benefit the private FM players who would gain more time after the deadline of 29 April for paying up fee for renewal of licence, expires.
Now, if the government refers the issue of licence fee for FM radio stations to the EC in the first week of May, there is a possibility that the election regulator may not like to take any stand on the issue as the last of the votes would be polled on 10 May, which would leave very little time for a decision to have any effect on anybody, including the private FM players.
Why? “As long as the issue is kept referred to various parties, not even the strictest of bureaucrats could demand licence fee from private FM companies or compel them to go off the air,” a government source close to the whole issue opined, indicating that the outgoing government would not like to upset media companies in the last phase or the slog overs of the election process.
It was a part of this game plan that made the I&B ministry refer the FM radio case to the finance ministry yesterday, even though the issue had been brought to the notice of I&B minister Ravi Shankar Prasad last month, as reported by indiantelevision.com then.
Still, not content with writing a petition to Prasad on the licence fee issue —- four FM companies were signatories — Entertainment Network India Limited, which runs Radio Mirchi has taken the legal route. Its petition seeks to restrain the government from attaching its bank guarantee in the event of non-payment of license fees by 29 April.
The total amount of licence fee payable by the existing players is in the region of Rs 1 billion.
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.
