News Broadcasting
Kohinoor Broadcasting Corp aims to launch Punjabi news channel
MUMBAI: Chandigarh-based production house Kohinoor Broadcasting Corporation Ltd (KBCL) is planning to launch a Punjabi news channel and set up a teleport at an estimated cost of Rs. 200 million.
The company is weighing all options to raise funds for this purpose. “We may go in for debt or have a rights issue. We are also looking at diluting equity,” says KBCL managing director Harjit Singh. He, however, ruled out diluting majority stake in the company.
KBCL has already applied for an uplinking licence. The earth station will be set up near Chandigarh. “We are awaiting clearance from the government,” says Singh.
The free-to-air channel will be called KBC News and will mainly cover news from the state. The promoters hold 42 per cent (up to 30 September, 2004) in KBCL. Indian public hold 44.7 per cent while 12.77 per cent is with private corporate bodies. The company recorded a turnover of Rs. 15.7 crore in the 2003-2004 fiscal.
Meanwhile, KBCL has informd Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) today that the funds for property acquired near Chandigarh for setting up earth station would be allocated out of internal accrual and/or raised through promoters or its associates at present and a professional agency/person be consulted / appointment for structuring the financial requirements of the said project of Rs. 200 million for future.
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.
