News Broadcasting
NBF decries Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s suggestion to ban media ads
MUMBAI: The News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) has appealed to the prime minister to reject the suggestion by Congress president Sonia Gandhi for a “complete ban on media advertisements- television, print and online – by the government and public sectors undertakings (PSUs) for a period of two years”. The NBF also requests Gandhi to withdraw her suggestions in this regard.
The NBF says: “At a time when other industries and sectors are scaling down resources and expenses, we, the news broadcasters of India are facing increased costs as we provide emergency and essential service at the time of national crisis. We request the government to support the news broadcasters through all means to ensure their survival.”
News broadcasters serve as an influential, public awareness and emergency communications system to get information on the doorsteps of the common citizens across the length and breadth of the country, especially in current times of national lockdown due to the world health emergency of COVID-19. Due to this, news television viewership has increased exponentially by 298 per cent, according to BARC, says the NBF release.
The NBF also requested the government to consider advertising spends by private and public sector companies to news broadcasters disseminating public awareness campaigns/information/publicity during the current period to prevent the spread of COVID-19, to be considered as a corporate social responsibility activity.
“The advertising revenue contribution by government and PSUs is minuscule in comparison to the overall advertising market which is pegged at less than 0.5 per cent to India’s GDP. But in contrast, the advertising sector acts as a key catalyst to create mass and expeditious awareness among citizens, creating demand among consumers and leading to higher spending which creates employment to millions, directly and indirectly, and ultimately benefiting the exchequer in terms of tax revenue.”
“Advertising revenue forms the backbone for sustenance of FTA news broadcasters, especially at such crucial time when the operational cost has increased by more than 20 per cent, as news channels are scaling up their effort, by putting hundreds of experts, doctors, public health experts, civil and police personnel, and government officials on air in a massive effort to disseminate the right information and counter the barrage of fake news by reaching out to the largest part of India’s 1.3 billion people at the time of national crisis while themselves at risk,” it goes on to add.
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.
