News Broadcasting
Headlines Today set for competition, rolls out 360 degrees media campaign
MUMBAI: TV Today Network’s English baby – Headlines Today may have had a slack start but the channel is slowly but steadily climbing up the popularity charts among the English news channels. And what’s more, the Aroon Purie owned network has now rolled out a new ad campaign to generate it’s awareness. The campaign, which has been conceptualised by Mudra, will focus on six metros that will have a consistent message across all media and executions.
The channel’s ad campaign revolves around the theme of ‘News, Crisply told,’ as is the motto of Headlines Today. The channel believes that today’s urban viewers want short, sharp and crisp news and hence in keeping with this viewer-requirement, Headlines Today refrains from over analysis and undue complexities, while at the same time maintaining accuracy, integrity and speed of news delivery.
The ad campaign will be on for six weeks and the message that will be sent out is that Headlines Today is a channel with a difference. The channel has drawn out various innovations and on ground activities, which consists of a mix of above-the-line and below-the-line activities. Talking about the same TV Today senior marketing manager Rajesh Sheshadri says, “The mass media campaign comprises print, radio and TV films. The print and outdoor campaign would largely act as the launch pad for the campaign. The print campaign will encompass major publications across the country and the outdoor would comprise good mix of high utility billboard/hoarding sites across Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad. TV and radio will be employed for sustenance at a later stage for creating a strong ‘connect’ with the overall brand thought.” Also the channel is looking at the online medium so as to have an online presence for Headlines Today. Brand sponsorships on cricinfo.com is one of the initiatives that the channel has rolled out.
Another innovation is the desktop ticker called ‘Newzy’, which, once downloaded on to the desktop, keeps one informed about all the major events happening across the globe. ‘Newzy’ can be downloaded from www.newzy.info. Sheshadri says, “Newzy will be promoted very aggressively in the coming weeks, thus creating the requisite buzz around the brand.”
Apart from promotions, Headlines Today has also tied up with coffee major Barista for an in-outlet contest. This month-long contest, which will be based on the central theme of the campaign, will be spread across the six metros in about 50 Barista outlets.
Another component of the campaign would be in the form of in-store contests based on posters, tent cards and tray mats, through which the channel hopes to create a good brand presence in the stores. The channel is also planning an association with multiplexes and reach out to the younger, English speaking audiences.
In the back-to-back segment, the channel will tap various agencies and media planners through direct mailers and also via an agency contest with the objective of putting forward the brand proposition of Headlines Today to these key stakeholders.
Headlines Today is also planning to tap opportunities in the form of events and properties, with which, the brand could be associated. Asked whether these initiatives would be coupled with other on screen changes, in channel packaging, presentation style and stories etc, Sheshadri says, “There are no major changes planned for Headlines Today as of now. We feel that the look and feel of the channel is right. Content additions, however, is an on-going exercise and that will continue.”
While Mudra is the channel’s creative agency, the creative duties of the channel will be handled by Maxus.
With all the marketing push, Headlines Today seems to have plunged headlong into the competitive scenario. Talking on the same, Sheshadri says, “While Headlines Today competes with the existing news channels, at an overall market share level, we do have a distinct persona. We are about “News, Crisply Told”, which is the essence of the brand and is different from what our competition offers. Headlines Today primarily targets young urban viewers who need sharp and crisp delivery of news, which will remain unchanged.”
The channel is leaving no stones unturned to reach out to its audiences via a 360 degree campaign. What remains to be seen is whether it will cut into the pie of English news channels like NDTV 24×7. It’s a matter of wait and watch.
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.
