News Broadcasting
India Today brings ‘Democratic Newsroom’ to television
New Delhi: India Today TV launches Democratic Newsroom, a prime time show devoid of any agenda, where news anchors are given free rein to present their diversified viewpoints about the same issue across the table. The show will premiere on 23 September 2022 at 7 p.m.
The launch of this new show marks a beginning that will go a long way in re-establishing the genre as a credible knowledge source by making each voice heard, each opinion weighed in, every evidence examined thus giving a chance to the audience to make its own informed choices.
The show brings out a team that faces news & views head-on, they discuss, dissect, investigate and debate and they don’t stop. Because when there’s a dark shadow over TV news only one thing shines through – a democratic newsroom.
At a time when television news faces the biggest glare ever amidst ongoing hate speeches for television rating points. A time when the country’s top court takes a dismal view. A time when a nation’s fingers point at TV news channels. One show will rise above all others. Democratic Newsroom and India Today won’t hide behind bias, bombast & bigotry..
The marquee series in its digital avatar had built on the brand’s four-decade-long legacy of its gold standard journalism where the channel’s anchors are given equal platform and journalistic liberty to express their varied opinions on any matter national or international. Some of the prominent democratic newsrooms spoken about recently included the government’s decision to rename Rajpath as Kartavyapath, the next general elections – BJP vs opposition – Is 2024 a done deal, National Herald case & ED questioning Rahul Gandhi, Bollywood Boycott, Gyanwapi, Virat Kohli, Depp Amber lawsuit and the need for a one-day State mourning held on the passing away of Queen Elizabeth.
The TV show will further strengthen the channel’s promise, “With absolutely zero political vendetta India Today’s news anchors have been accorded full freedom to voice their opinions both on air and off air, which in return provides the audience a fair and balanced broadcast of actual news.” The first-of-its-kind show will bring the democratic newsroom debates into the full public gaze. An opportunity to join the editors as they discuss, argue and challenge each other on the topical subjects of the week. The channel has taken on this challenge of bringing honest journalism with diversified viewpoints abhorring the race for ratings.
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.
