News Broadcasting
HT Media unveils business daily ‘Mint’ priced at Rs 2
MUMBAI: HT Media Ltd., publisher of Hindustan Times and Hindustan, has launched its business newspaper titled Mint.
The brand and logo was unveiled by HT Media vice chairperson Shobhana Bhartia and The Wall Street Journal Asian managing director Christine Brendle at an event in New Delhi.
Set to hit news stands on 1 February, Mint will initially be available in New Delhi and Mumbai from Monday to Saturday at Rs 2. As part of a pre-launch campaign a yearly subscription of Rs 299 was introduced.
As far as the logic of the HT-WSJ tie-up goes, every weekday four pages of news will be sourced from The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones. These will be articles selected by Mint’s editors with the Indian reader in mind, states an official release.
“Mint is product of a unique collaboration between HT Media and The Wall Street Journal, which will bring life to the world of business and participate in the business of life,” Bhartia said. “Mint is constructed around Indian business and economy and the way it is impacting the world and captures the trends of the world for India to leverage.”
The weekend edition of Mint has taken the magazine route style. The Saturday edition Lounge is a standalone offering aimed at “reinvigorating the readers with its emphasis on living healthier, wealthier and happier lives.”
The newspaper’s online edition, www.LIVEMINT.com, will also go live on 1 February. Along with LIVEMINT.com, the new newspaper also offers new advertising opportunities that start with print and extend into online.
Managing editor of the paper Raju Narisetti said, “It is a clear recognition that our readers are busy and mobile. The format is part of our promise to help readers deal with the torrents of unevaluated words coming their way each day. Our approach extends to careful selection of stories and providing clear writing, presentation and analysis.”
The paper has been designed by world-renowned newspaper designer Mario Garcia and will be in a unique Berliner size that will bring, for the first time to readers in India, a globally proven, convenient format, states the release.
“We are excited about the unique concept we’re launching, and the added benefits it will bring to our readers and advertisers,” said Publisher Rajan Bhalla,. “Mint’s differentiated design will also offer advertisers new content adjacencies, innovative placement opportunities and impactful advertising units.”
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.
