News Broadcasting
Narendra Modi delivers inspiring keynote address at News9 Global Summit 2024
Mumbai: The News9 Global Summit 2024 reached its pinnacle as the PM of India, Shri Narendra Modi, delivered a keynote address that stirred hearts and minds alike. Embraced by a captivated audience comprising distinguished dignitaries, industry leaders, and intellectuals from across the globe, PM Modi’s address on the summit theme ‘India: Poised for the Next Big Leap’ resonated with a spirit of optimism and aspiration for the future of India.
The stage was set for PM Modi’s address by TV9 Network managing director and CEO Barun Das who hailed the PM as not only the architect of a New India but also as someone who aspires to lay the foundation for the next thousand years. Sharing his own insights, Das elaborated on what he termed the three “Modi Mantras”: Return on Governance, Modi Multiplier, and Citizen DNA Reset, emphasizing their importance in shaping India’s trajectory towards progress and prosperity.
PM Modi commenced his address with the adage: “Mann ke haare haar, mann ke jeete jeet,” underscoring the theme of resilience and the indomitable spirit that has come to define India’s journey in recent years.
He was quick to laud the diversity of India, acknowledging the role of media outlets like TV9 in representing this diversity. He remarked, “I often talk about India’s diversity. This diversity is also represented in the TV9 newsroom and by TV9 reporters”, emphasizing the importance of inclusive narratives in shaping national discourse.
Asserting the need for the next big leap, PM Modi remarked, “It is imperative to shift gears for India to take ‘the next big leap’. India has been in ‘reverse gear’ for too long”.
He reflected on India’s remarkable economic growth, stating, “In just ten years, India has become one of the top five economies of the world. Laws are made and decisions are taken in an expedited manner in today’s India”, acknowledging India’s economic prowess and underscoring the transformative reforms undertaken by the government to accelerate growth and development.
Dispelling notions of bureaucratic hurdles and signalling a paradigm shift towards responsive and accountable governance, PM Modi asserted that government offices in India today are “not a problem, but a solution”.
Reflecting on India’s journey of progress, the PM remarked, “In 10 years, what circumstance changed that has brought to this space? It is a change of mindset, it is a change of trust & self-confidence, it is a change of good governance”.
He also commented on India’s role in the fourth industrial revolution, emphasising that while India was left behind in the first three industrial revolutions, the time has come for it to lead in the fourth industrial revolution.
Touching upon the visible surge in investor confidence, he said, “In 2014, Indians invested Rs 9 lakh crore in mutual funds. In 2024, over Rs 52 lakh crore has been invested in mutual funds. This is because people have faith in the progress of the nation”.
“From the abrogation of Article 370 to the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, we have prepared India for the coming decade”, PM Modi said, quipping that “We don’t believe in ‘rajneeti’, we believe in ‘rashtraneeti’.”
Looking ahead, PM Modi outlined India’s priorities in key sectors such as space exploration, semiconductor manufacturing, digital infrastructure, clean energy, and fintech, reaffirming India’s commitment to fostering a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation and technology.
Concluding his address, the PM remarked, “Everyone is saying that India is the future. The times to come are extremely important. The next five years are very crucial”. His keynote address electrified audiences at the News9 Global Summit 2024 and served as a culmination of the many discussions that took place over two days of the TV9 What India Thinks Today summit.
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.
