News Broadcasting
NBDA President writes to Kerala CM requesting intervention in Asianet attack case
Mumbai : News Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA) president Avinash Pandey has written to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, urging him to take immediate action against the individuals and officials who attacked and/or searched the offices of Malayalam news channel Asianet in Kochi and Kozhikode, Kerala.
Pandey in his letter mentioned the attack by Student Federation of India (SFI) activists on the premises of Asianet News Network (a member of the NBDA) in Kochi, as well as the subsequent police search of its office in Kozhikode, Kerala
“NBDA maintains that while no individual or institution is above the law, however, it condemns any attempt to muzzle the media and thereby cause any interference with the free functioning of news operations. Such attacks and searches are not only unacceptable, but they also undermine the basic tenets of freedom of speech and expression enshrined in the Constitution of India,” he said in letter.
“We sincerely urge you and the State administration to take immediate action against the individuals and officials who attacked and/or searched the office premises of Asianet and ensure that journalists and media persons are allowed to perform their duties in a free and fearless manner,” he added.
NBDA also issued an official statement condemning the attack and the subsequent police raid on Asianet’s offices.
Pandey wrote, “As an Association, we believe in promoting excellence in broadcasting standards and all Members are governed by the Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards. As a result, we have constituted an independent Self-Regulatory Adjudicatory Body, namely the “News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority” (NBDSA), which is headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge Justice AK Sikri. NBDSA considers and adjudicates upon complaints with respect to broadcasts/ publications, including all content which violates the Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards and the Guidelines issued by it. All such complaints can be made to News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority.”
He expressed that it would be in the larger interest of freedom of speech and expression of the media, if in future any complaint with regard to any broadcaster/ digital news media entity is decided by NBDSA.
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.
