News Broadcasting
I&B not for private news channels on DD DTH platform
NEW DELHI: DD Direct Plus, the Indian pubcaster’s proposed KU-band direct-to-home television service, just can’t seem to get going.
Assertions to the contrary notwithstanding, the information and broadcasting ministry is having second thoughts on allowing private sector satellite-delivered news channels on Doordarshan’s DTH platform.
A source in the ministry did admit that there is a school of thought within the government that feels having other news channels like BBC, CNN and even domestic ones like Aaj Tak and Zee News would undermine DD News’ position.
“If at all there has to be a news channel on the platform, it should be Doordarshan News,” the ministry source said. But the real reason for the government developing cold feet on private news channels’ presence on the yet-to-be-launched DD Direct is the fear that critical news reports about the government on the pubcaster’s platform may not go down well with the political bosses.
Another source in Prasar Bharati, which manages DD, indicated that this was one of the reasons why the I&B ministry has not yet given the final nod for the launch of DD Direct that has been in the making for over six months now.
It is pertinent to mention here that Prasar Bharati officials have been tom-tomming the fact that 23-odd private sector TV channels have agreed (in principle) to be on DD Direct Plus, which would go a long way in enhancing the commercial feasibility of such a project.
The channels that had agreed to join the free-to-air DTH platform, according to Prasar Bharati, included BBC, CNN, Aaj Tak, Zee News, Star Utsav and a clutch of South Indian language channels.
No wonder then that a board meeting of Prasar Bharati yesterday in Bangalore did touch upon the DTH issue.
Earlier, Prasar Bharati had, reportedly, demanded approximately Rs 600,000 from private sector channels as carriage fee to be on the DTH platform. Total lack of interest shown by satellite channels, especially the mass
entertainment channels like Star Plus, Zee TV, Sony, Sahara One and Sab TV, resulted in Prasar Bharati backing down and offering carriage without any money.
With the government and Prasar Bharati not offering a definite date on the launch of DD Direct Plus, the latest joke doing the rounds in DD is that it’s like waiting for Godot.
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.
