News Broadcasting
Govt ultimatum to channels on downlink norms
NEW DELHI: The Indian government has issued an ultimatum to all TV channels that those failing to adhere to downlink norm deadline of 10 May will not be allowed to downlink into the country.
In a statement issued on 3 May, the government has said, “It is clarified that (television) channels for which even complete applications, with processing fees, are not received on or before May 10, 2006, shall not be permitted to be downlinked thereafter.”
The information and broadcasting ministry has come out with clarifications on various queries on the policy guidelines for downlinking of television channels in India on its website.
The guidelines stipulate a time of 180 days from 11 November 2005 for completion of all formalities of registration under downlinking guidelines.
On queries relating to foreign direct investment (FDI) permitted in television ventures, the government statement states that 100 per cent FDI is permitted in the broadcasting sector, which is not under the automatic route and all such proposals will have to be routed through the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB).
The government has also clarified that as on the date of submission of application for permission under downlinking guidelines, the applicant company must have requisite net worth and continue to satisfy the requirement thereafter.
The information and broadcasting ministry had earlier stipulated different net worth of television companies as per categories, namely entertainment, news, etc, in an effort to differentiate between the serious and non-serious players.
The downlink guidelines state that all TV channels wishing to be downlinked into the country would have to get themselves registered with a designated authority and also establish a permanent establishment, amongst some other stipulations that have been dubbed stringent by some media companies.
For example, the government reiterated on Wednesday that an applicant company is required to provide a facility where online monitoring of content being beamed into India is possible.
Also, the system should have the capacity to store data for 90 days, which should be available to the government at any point of time in India at a pre-designated place.
The companies need not set up new facilities for this purpose, but could authorize any of their multi service operators (MSOs) or head end operators to provide this facility, the ministry has clarified.
The government has shot off letters relating to various queries on downlink norms to the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, Star Group and Time Warner, according to information posted on the site of the I&B ministry.
Earlier in March, the government had turned down a request from the Indian Broadcasting Foundation to extend the 180-day deadline for fulfilling newly-formulated downlinking norms by broadcasting companies.
Indiantelevision.com has learnt from government sources that Star group, for instance, has applied under downlink norms for various family channels separately.
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.
