News Broadcasting
Mumbai Police, Republic TV face off again
NEW DELHI: The Mumbai Police on Thursday said it has uncovered a TRP manipulation racket involving Republic TV. Two Marathi channels are also under investigation in the case.
With executives from the Republic – which claims to have the highest ratings among news outlets – being called in for questioning tomorrow, the channel dismissed the allegations and slammed the police for being vengeful.
"We have busted a fake TRP racket involving Republic TV and two Marathi channels – Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema. The owners of the Marathi channels have been arrested," Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh said in a press conference.
Republic TV has released a clarification on Twitter dismissing the allegations made against it by the Mumbai Police as “false.” The channel also accused police commissioner Param Bir Singh of a personal vendetta “because we have questioned him in Sushant Singh Rajput Case investigation.”
Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami's statement pic.twitter.com/axhbJZ47eA
— Republic (@republic) October 8, 2020
The news network claimed that there are no mentions of Republic TV in any Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) report and threatened to file a criminal defamation case against the Mumbai Police.
Following this controversy, BARC also issued a statement, promising to cooperate with the Mumbai police in their probe.
“As in all our previous cases of suspected panel homes intrusions, BARC India continues to follow its established vigilance and disciplinary guidelines. BARC remains steadfastly true to its purpose to accurately and faithfully report ‘What India Watches. BARC India appreciates the efforts of the Mumbai Police and will provide the support asked of it,” a BARC spokesperson said.
Detailing how the alleged scam operated, Singh said that the accused would ask certain households in Mumbai to keep some channels on even while they were not watching them. “One accused has been arrested with Rs 20 lakh seized while Rs 8.5 lakh has been found in a bank locker.”
He added that bank accounts of the accused channels will be investigated properly, along with their sources of ad revenue. If any criminal activities are observed, further action will be taken against them.
One of the arrested persons reportedly used to work with a company under BARC. Some of the wanted accused people are past and existing employees of Hansa Research Group Pvt Ltd and they have misused confidential data which had been entrusted to them.
Hansa Research CEO Praveen Nijhara clarified, "This is with reference to the media reports regarding TRP ratings being manipulated. Hansa Research and BARC conducted an investigation into the matter over the last few weeks, the conclusion of which resulted in Hansa Research filing an FIR against an ex-employee who was engaged in some wrongdoing. Hansa Research has always been vigilant about these issues and has been proactive in informing BARC and the law enforcement agencies as and when such cases have come to our notice. We would continue to cooperate with BARC and with the authorities as and when called upon to do so.”
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.
