News Broadcasting
NDTV India ban: SC to hear appeal on 5 Dec; govt may restructure review panel
MUMBAI: It is not going to be easy to gag the freedom of press. NDTV India’s appeal against the one-day ban on its Hindi channel will be heard next month by the Supreme Court.
NDTV has challenged the ban for violating the constitutional right to free speech and expression.
Appearing for NDTV, Fali Nariman, one of India’s most reputed lawyers, said that, because the government has suspended the ban, there was no urgent need for the court to stay the government’s order that called for a 24-hour ban and that the case could be heard a month later, during which NDTV expects the government to take a final decision.
The government on November 7 put on hold its order asking NDTV India not to telecast for 24 hours starting 9 November for allegedly flouting norms.
The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing to December 5 as Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told Justice A.K. Sikri that there was no real urgency as their plea (by NDTV) for review of the decision was being considered by the government.
The ban was put on hold by the government after representatives of NDTV met with Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu. NDTV reiterated that its Hindi channel did not broadcast sensitive details of the terror attack on the Pathankot air base.
The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry said it was weighing restructuring the inter-ministerial committee (IMC) which reviews cases of violations in the broadcast media. The ministry was facing criticism for directing NDTV India to go off air for a day.
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.
