News Broadcasting
Maharashtra’s leaders and changemakers come together for growth agenda
MUMBAI: From politics to pop culture, policy to pop-up enterprises Maharashtra’s growth story got a turbocharged rewrite at News18 Lokmat’s Samruddha Maharashtra 2025 conclave. In a state that rarely slows down, News18 Lokmat’s Samruddha Maharashtra 2025 brought the brakes to the rhetoric and the spotlight to substance. Held in Mumbai, the high-octane conclave brought together an eclectic mix of ministers, entrepreneurs, artists, and policy wonks to discuss what it’ll take to future-proof the state’s prosperity.
The day kicked off with a sharp, youth-forward panel on the “Future of Maharashtra”, where young leaders like Meghana Bordikar, Varun Sardesai, Rohini Khadse, Shaina NC, and Sangram Kote Patil discussed sustainability, policy innovation, and the missing script of youth engagement. The verdict? Maharashtra’s tomorrow needs fresh ideas, and fresher faces at the helm.
Aaditya Thackeray turned the political lens inward in a session on the so-called “Maharashtra Pattern of Politics”. Equal parts legacy and local aspiration, his take blended ideology with youth participation underscoring transparency and environmental consciousness as essentials, not options.
Politics got punchier in a high-decibel discussion featuring Jitendra Awhad, Girish Mahajan, Uday Samant, Imtiyaz Jaleel, Sandeep Deshpande, and Anil Parab. Even as they sparred across party lines, there was one common goal: Maharashtra’s progress must trump political posturing.
In the economic ring, industry bigwigs like Hemant Rathi, Girish Chitale, Lalit Gandhi, and economist Ajit Ranade headlined “Udhyemi Maharashtra”, championing entrepreneurship and industrial investment as the state’s twin growth engines. The message was clear start-ups and scale-ups are Maharashtra’s real capital.
Culture took a graceful turn in “Kalapatadi Maharashtra”, with cinema and theatre stalwarts Mahesh Manjrekar, Kedar Shinde, Om Raut, and Bharat Jadhav waxing lyrical about the soft power of storytelling and the soul of Marathi identity.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde outlined priorities across infrastructure, rural outreach, and welfare, while chief minister Devendra Fadnavis wrapped up the conclave with a blueprint for a globally competitive and resilient Maharashtra, fuelled by economic reforms and mega infrastructure plans.
Powered by MIT Design Technology – Pune and Reliance Industries Ltd, with support from MIDC, Sandip University, Rotomag Solar Pump, Pimpri Chinchwad University, LIC Housing Finance Ltd, and Mahagenco, the conclave was anything but a talking shop.
With meaningful dialogue, sharp provocations, and a collective vision, Samruddha Maharashtra 2025 wasn’t just another networking event, it was a real-time draft of the state’s next growth chapter. Or as one panellist quipped, “Less gyan, more game plan.”
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.
