News Broadcasting
How CNBC-Awaaz managing editor Anuj Singhal sees Budget 2025 panning out
MUMBAI: Hindi business news channel CNBC-Awaaz has budgeted oodles of programming and innovations as it seeks to give its viewers a simplified rendition of the Union Budget when it is presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The channel’s managing editor Anuj Singhal shared his views on the upcoming Budget 2025 and detailed the channel’s comprehensive programming strategy to decode its impact on the economy and markets.
Reflecting on the previous year’s budget, Singhal noted, “The 2024 Budget was essentially a vote-on-account, but significant announcements like the rationalisation of capital gains tax stood out. We expect the government to continue streamlining the tax structure and closing existing loopholes.”
Singhal emphasised CNBC-Awaaz’s audience-focused approach under the theme Make or Break, aimed at day traders and investors closely tracking budget announcements. He highlighted the inclusion of expert panels, such as the Budget Editors, featuring CEOs and market specialists dissecting budget impacts on stocks and investments. The Budget Jury will cover tax, mutual funds, and broader market trends from both common investor and market perspectives. Additionally, a Tech Panchayat will provide real-time stock trading insights based on budget developments.
Addressing the challenge from digital-first competitors, Singhal revealed plans for a digital-exclusive stream featuring prominent anchors and experts on YouTube and other platforms. “We are fully leveraging our position as the number one digital business news platform in terms of reach,” he said.
Singhal assured viewers of CNBC-Awaaz’s capability to track market reactions in real-time. “Our anchors live and breathe markets. We’ll keep one eye on the budget and the other on live stock movements, ensuring our audience doesn’t miss a single detail.”
Special formats, including interactive charts and live market check-ins, will further enrich the coverage.
On anticipated policy changes, Singhal was cautious: “We do not foresee a significant policy shift. The government’s prudent fiscal approach has served it well. Any major change would indeed be surprising.”
With a robust line-up of expert opinions and digital innovations, CNBC-Awaaz aims to provide unmatched coverage of Budget 2025, empowering traders and investors with actionable insights.
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.
