News Broadcasting
NBF seeks e-meeting with I&B minister to discuss stimulus package
MUMBAI: The News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) has requested a video conference meeting with union information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar to discuss a 'comprehensive stimulus package’ for news broadcasters' to overcome the impact of the economic and financial challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Said an official statement of the federation, “The NBF in its letter has sought an appointment with I&B minister for an e-meeting through video-conference, during this week as per his convenience and availability to bring to attention about the most pressing issues the industry is facing due to lockdown for combating the spread of COVID-19.”
NBF is an association representing the combined interests of 300 TV news channels. The agenda of the meeting is to discuss and resolve the extraordinary situation the members of NBF are facing due to the lockdown while discharging the service to the society, reads the statement.
The issues that would be discussed with the minister during the e-meeting are: satellite and bandwidth charges, Prasar Bharti and DD Freedish, DAVP pending payments, unrestricted availability of FTS new channels, governmental support and liquidity issues.
The NBF delegation comprises president Arnab Goswami, vice-president Jaggi Mangat Panda, vice-president Shankar Bala, vice-president Sanjivie Narain, vice-president Kartikeya Sharma, and vice-president Riniki B Sharma, among others.
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.
