News Broadcasting
India TV delivers 25 million Ad Impressions on its CTV stream on Assembly Poll Counting Day
Mumbai: Elections serve as the foundation of a democratic society, providing avenues for citizens to choose their representatives and actively participate in the decision-making process. The media plays a crucial role in these endeavours. Responsible, accurate, and timely reporting by the media helps shape public opinion and fosters an informed electorate during elections.
During the recently concluded five state assembly polls, India TV empowered voters by delivering real-time updates and facilitating a transparent exchange of ideas through comprehensive coverage, analysis, and reporting. India TV, the only news network with exclusive CTV news channels in the country, also delivered an astounding 25 million advertisement impressions on its CTV stream on the counting day. Additionally, the stream registered an average engagement time per user of 44 minutes and 32 seconds and experienced a 2.4X growth in unique viewership.
Sharing her thoughts on this milestone, Ritu Dhawan, Managing Director, and CEO of India TV, stated, ‘The growth of CTVs in the country has revolutionized advertising. CTV penetration in the NCCS A market and high viewer time spent are key parameters for CTV advertising growth. The 25 million advertisement impressions delivered by India TV on the counting day showcase a significant advancement in the advertising landscape, indicating a spike in the demand for CTV platforms. Considering the anticipated growth of the CTV market in the coming year, we expect the numbers to reach new heights in the near future.’
On the day, the results of the state assembly polls were announced—a crucial event in recent times—India TV Digital witnessed substantial growth across its digital platforms. On December 3rd, content consumption reached an all-time high, surpassing multiple benchmarks. India TV’s digital platforms garnered 20.2 million gross viewership. On India TV Live streams, the watch minutes surpassed the 51 million milestone across digital platforms.
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.
