News Broadcasting
NDTV 24×7 appoints Soli Sorabjee as channel ombudsman
MUMBAI: The times aren’t doing so well for news channels; and to present the facts without any bias is of utmost importance to many.
Hence, to constantly keep a check on its editorial NDTV 24X7 has appointed an ombudsman to regulate the content on the channel.
Former attorney general of India Soli Sorabjee has agreed to come on board as an ombudsman who will provide independent perspective on the coverage of the channel as well as investigate into complaints by viewers. It is also a first such initiative by a news channel.
NDTV editorial director and president of the Ethics Committee Sonia Singh said, “Every day, we in the media face new editorial challenges regarding journalistic boundaries and we are delighted that Sorabjee will, with his unchallenged integrity, be able to provide much needed insight and advice.”
A new link has been created called www.ndtv.com/soli to address the issues. Speaking on his appointment NDTV Group vice chairperson KVL Narayan Rao said, “Soli Sorabjee is an independent, highly respected, highly regarded legal luminary, with years of experience in handling issues relating to freedom of expression and freedom of the press and censorship. We are delighted he has agreed to be the Ombudsman for NDTV.”
As a jurist he has argued several cases of constitutional importance in HCs and SCs particularly relating to freedom of press, censorship etc.
NDTV Group CEO and executive director Vikram Chandra added, “NDTV has always been committed to the highest standards of integrity and balance in its news coverage and we have now decided to take that one step further by appointing an independent Ombudsman who can adjudicate on any issues that may come up in the future.”
We at indiantelevsion.com feel that Sorabjee with his experience may just be beneficial to the channel.
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.
