News Broadcasting
Headlines Today rolls out new look
NEW DELHI: Riding a wave of enthusiastic responses to its initial public offering (IPO), the Aroon Purie-controlled TV Today Network today initiated in a quiet manner changes in the on-air look of its English news channel, Headlines Today.
Cable industry sources told indiantelevision.com that from 7 pm on Sunday, Headlines Today has started sporting a new look, though the content, which has been the butt of severe criticism from TV purists, remains unchanged. The set has changed (read, the background), so have the graphics; and the ticker too is missing during the evening.
TVTN manages the Hindi news channel Aaj Tak and Headlines Today and, according to Purie, would look at bringing and starting new niche channels in the near future. The ticker, as run in most news channels is absent during the evening. The reason for this is that the ticker would be used for conveying news that is useful for the viewers and not to give information that would be otherwise be given by other news channels.
However, to an average viewer, these changes are not very apparent. During the road shows leading up to the IPO, Purie and others have been saying, on being asked, that Headlines Today is slated to undergo a major revamp.
Meanwhile, several times oversubscribed, the TVTN IPO is scheduled to make its debut on the stock markets on 19 January.
Though the name under which the scrip would be traded is still not sure, it is expected that it would be TVTN.
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.
