News Broadcasting
Internet access at work & home increases: study
MUMBAI: The number of adults who are online at home, in the office, at school, library or other locations continues to grow at a steady rate.
In the past year, the number of online users has reached an estimated 172 million, a five per cent increase, according to the latest Harris Poll.
In research among 2,032 US adults surveyed by telephone in February and April 2006, Harris Interactive found that 77 per cent of adults are now online, up from 74 per cent in February/April 2005, 66 per cent in the spring of 2002, 64 per cent in 2001 and 57 per cent in spring of 2000.
When Harris Interactive first began to track Internet use in 1995, only nine per cent of adults reported they went online.
Internet access increases at home and at work
The proportion of adults who are now online at home has risen to 70 per cent, up from 66 per cent in 2005 and 55 per cent in the spring of 2002
The percentage of those online at work has not really changed (35 per cent now, 36 per cent in 2005) yet is still up from 30 per cent in the spring of 2002. Adults who are online at a location other than their home or work also remains steady at 22 per cent (21 per cent in 2005, 19 per cent in the spring of 2002)
The demographic profile of Internet users in the United States looks like the country as a whole
As Internet penetration rises, the demographic profile of Internet users continues to look more like that of the nation as a whole. The study indicates that that more young than older people, and more affluent than low-income people, are online.
However, eight percent of those online are now age 65 or over (compared to 16 per cent of all adults who are 65 or over), 39 per cent of those online (compared to 47 per cent of all adults) did not go to college and 14 per cent have incomes of less than $25,000 (compared to 19 per cent of all adults).
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.
