News Broadcasting
NDTV inks deals with multiple potential investors for e-commerce ventures
MUMBAI: The Prannoy Roy led New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) has signed preliminary deals with certain potential investors for its e-commerce ventures in the fields of food, auto, and gadgets.
In the auto sector, portals like CarDekho.com, CarWale.com, CabKhabri.com and Gaadi.com amongst others operate in the Indian market. In the food sector too, portals for pre-cooked and uncooked food like travelkhana.com,merafoodchoice.com, Getlunchin.com and biryani360.com have mushroomed recently. On the other hand, portals specifically selling gadgets are far and few.
An established player in the news content business, NDTV has ample online content around these segments in NDTV Gadgets (gadgets.ndtv.com), NDTV Food (food.ndtv.com) and NDTV Auto (auto.ndtv.com). NDTV’s e-commerce ventures in these specific areas will only stand to benefit from the backing it will receive from the network.
While the company has signed term sheets with potential investors in the food, auto and gadgets sectors, along with its subsidiary company NDTV Convergence, it did not divulge names of the companies that the deals have been signed with.
It may be recalled that in March this year, NDTV’s board had given in principle approval for setting up of online ventures including digital transactions.
In a filing on the Bombay Stock Exchange, NDTV said, “The term sheets are non-binding and are subject to the parties agreeing upon and executing the definitive agreements, which will include detailed terms and conditions in relation to the proposed transactions.”
The company said that the proposed transactions would be subject to various conditions precedent to be specified in the definitive agreements, including due diligence, receipt of requisite corporate authorizations, approvals and regulatory approvals.
On the e-commerce front, NDTV through its subsidiary NDTV Ethnic Retail already operates Indianroots, which sells ethnic wear from various Indian designers. The venture recently also raised $5 million in funding from the Mumbai-based KJS Group.
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.
