News Broadcasting
IBF Press Release
The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) members met in New Delhi today to discuss the implication of the proposed Conditional Access Systems (CAS).
Any propsoal that addresses the two fundamental issues of transparency and breaking up of the existing ground monopolies of the cable TV operators that face the industry is welcomed by the IBF. The reality is that today only 20 per cent of the ground revenue collected from the consumers accross the country comes back to the broadcasters.
The IBF members are of the view that there should be a planned and phased transition to enable the Indian consumers to comprahensively benefit from switching over to the Conditional Acceas Systems. To make CAS a realIty in the current form, the IBF believes that there are many issues concerning technology, funding, avaIlabilIty of set top boxes, regulation and non- discriminatory implementation and there is a need for a detailed analysis.
Further all the issues related with Implementation of CAS need to be looked at and addressed in totality. An amendment to the Cable TV Regulation Act is unlikely to resolve the fundamental issues that face the industry. It may in fact result in exploitation of customers in terms of prices of the services charged by the cable TV operators due to monopolies on ground.
Members of the Industry, Broadcasters, Vendors, Cable operators and the regulators need to work together to arrive at the correct CAS model. In the interim, the bradcasters have decided to come together and focus on the immediate problem of under declaration and demand 100% transparency from the cable TV operators.
The IBF also suggests that the existing parliamentary Select Committee headed by Parliamentarian Somnath Chatterjee looking into the Convergence Bill is ideally positioned to examine all the matters in totality so that the consumer gets the true benefit of the channels and the value added services.
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.
