News Broadcasting
NDTV channels to soon go off air on IMCL
MUMBAI: Subscribers of MSO IndusInd Media & Communications Limited (IMCL) will soon not be able to view NDTV channels.
A scroll running on the home page of the MSO warns subscribers that ‘Public notice: NDTV channels namely NDTV 24X7, NDTV Profit, NDTV Goodtimes and NDTV Hindi are liable to be switched off due to non payment.’ If customers want to continue viewing the channels then they can either call up IMCL’s toll free number or send an email.
An executive from NDTV’s distribution team said that the network’s deal with IMCL was up for renewal but the MSO was asking for an exorbitant amount of carriage fees. The broadcaster on the other hand is not willing to give in to the demands.
“IMCL has lost huge ground in Mumbai and some other areas because of digitisation and despite that they are asking for such high carriage fees. They don’t want to negotiate a lower price and neither do we have the intent to pay more. So, most probably we won’t be renewing the deal,” says an executive from the network.
IMCL has approximately 10 lakh set top boxes in Mumbai and the surrounding areas that come under digital addressable system (DAS) I.
Another executive from the network said, “They don’t have value for money. If they want to disconnect, then it’s up to them. If the subscribers want the channel, they will ask for it, if they don’t then also it won’t bother us much.”
IMCL executives were unavailable for comment on the issue.
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.
