News Broadcasting
NDTV launches ‘The Buck Stops Here’ with Padmaja Joshi
MUMBAI: When it comes to primetime chatter, NDTV is putting its money where its mouth is. With The Buck Stops Here, fronted by Padmaja Joshi, the network is betting on a simple promise: end the noise, get to the point, and deliver answers that matter.
Airing weeknights at 9 pm on NDTV 24×7, the show is pitched as the “end of every argument”, a space where governance, economy, society and India’s role in the world are not just debated but distilled into clarity.
Joshi, NDTV’s managing editor and primetime anchor, brings her trademark directness to the role. “No evasion and no prevarication” she insists, setting the tone for debates that aim to close with conclusions rather than cliff-hangers.
CEO and editor-in-chief, Rahul Kanwal, framed the launch as a statement of intent and said, “The Buck Stops Here is primetime as India deserves it – rigorous, and uncompromisingly focused on what matters most to the nation. Padmaja Joshi brings an editorial depth and clarity of vision that will ensure this is not just another show, but the end of every argument – a definitive moment in the national conversation.”
For NDTV, the programme signals more than a new slot, it marks the channel’s renewed ambition to mirror a confident India with sharper, bolder coverage. For viewers weary of endless shouting matches, it could well be the place where the buck really does stop.
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.
