News Broadcasting
Manic Monday: Media scrips join Sensex free fall
MUMBAI: It was truly a Manic Monday for Dalal Street. For the second time in the indices’ history (the first being on 17 May, 2004), trading was suspended at the BSE this morning. The Sensex fell by a whopping 1111.70 points in the morning trade below 10,000 to settle at 9,826.91.
However, it recovered substantially to close at 10,482 down 457 points. The NSE Nifty, on the other hand, closed at 3081 down 166 points. Media stocks, like the predominant market sentiment, were on a downslide.
In order to avoid pandemonium in the market, Sebi chief M Damodaran asked people not to go by rumours but to take informed decisions. According to him, Sebi was in touch with the RBI and there were no liquidity problems.
Among the entertainment and media stocks, one company that managed to beat the heat on the bourses was Times Group company Entertainment Network India Ltd (ENIL), which operates the Radio Mirchi brand. The company’s stocks opened at Rs 239.85 and closed higher at Rs 241.10, thus registering a marginal gain of 0.63 per cent.
The biggest loser today was Prannoy Roy’s NDTV Ltd. The stocks of NDTV opened at Rs 220 today and closed at Rs 190, weaker by 13.64 per cent. Mid-Day Multimedia, on the other hand, recorded a drop of 11.82 per cent and closed at Rs 61.15 (previous close Rs 69.35).
Pritish Nandy Communications shed 10.14 per cent to close at Rs 45.65 from its previous close of Rs 50.80. Hinduja TMT; which on Friday 19 May took the deepest plunge, going down by Rs 48.30 to close at Rs Rs 701.75; today dropped 3.10 per cent to close at Rs 680.
Sahara One Media and Entertainment Ltd and BAG Films both shed around eight per cent in today’s bloodbath. TV Today Network was weaker by 7.76 per cent to close at Rs 81.45 at the end of the day’s trade. K Sera Sera also lost 7.45 per cent and ended the day at Rs 36.05. Television Eighteen shed 5.18 per cent (down Rs 32.95 from yesterday closing at Rs 603.20).
Company
Last Traded Price
Previous close
Change
Per cent change
Adlabs Films
Rs 267.30
Rs 271.45
Rs -4.15
-1.53
BAG Films
Rs 9.63
Rs 10.54
Rs -0.91
-8.63
Balaji Telefilms
Rs 139.95
Rs 147.00
Rs -7.05
-4.80
Cinevistaas
Rs 21.45
Rs 22.55
Rs -1.10
-4.88
ENIL
Rs 241.10
Rs 239.60
Rs 1.50
0.63
ETC Networks
Rs 37.65
Rs 38.50
Rs -0.85
-2.21
Galaxy Ent
Rs 251.15
Rs 260.95
Rs -9.80
-3.76
Gemini Comm
Rs 420.00
Rs 433.30
Rs -13.30
-3.07
Hinduja TMT
Rs 680.00
Rs 701.75
Rs -21.75
-3.10
Jain Studios
Rs 27.60
Rs 29.00
Rs -1.40
-4.83
K Sera Sera
Rs 36.05
Rs 38.95
Rs -2.90
-7.45
Mid-Day Multimedia
Rs 61.15
Rs 69.35
Rs -8.20
-11.82
Mukta Arts
Rs 42.95
Rs 45.20
Rs -2.25
-4.98
NDTV Ltd
Rs 190.00
Rs 220.00
Rs -30.00
-13.64
Pritish Nandy
Rs 45.65
Rs 50.80
Rs -5.15
-10.14
Sahara One Media
Rs 324.00
Rs 354.00
Rs -30.00
-8.47
Saregama
Rs 241.65
Rs 254.05
Rs -12.40
-4.88
Sun TV
Rs 1159.55
Rs 1192.35
Rs -32.80
-2.75
TV Eighteen
Rs 603.20
Rs 636.15
Rs -32.95
5.18
TV Today
Rs 81.45
Rs 88.30
Rs -6.85
-7.76
UTV
Rs 176.00
Rs 183.55
Rs -7.55
-4.11
Zee Telefilms
Rs 228.20
Rs 229.60
Rs -1.40
-0.61
In the vicinity of the one – five per cent loss incurred by companies were the likes of Mukta Arts (-4.98 per cent), Cinevistaas (-4.88 per cent), Saregama (-4.88 per cent), Balaji Telefilms (-4.80 per cent), Jain Studios (-4.83 per cent), UTV (-4.11 per cent), Sun TV (-2.75 per cent), ETC Networks (-2.21 per cent), Adlabs Films (-1.53 per cent).
Media major Zee Telefilms had a relatively quiet day at the bourses, closing at Rs 228.20 down a minimal -0.61 per cent from yesterday’s last traded price of Rs 229.60. On the Nifty, meanwhile, Zee ended the day at Rs 227.40, down 1.22 per cent from yesterday’s close of Rs 230.20.
The big question on every market punter’s mind at the moment seems of course to be just how low will low go. When will the “market correction” bottom out is something no one seems to be able to hazard a guess on currently.
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.
