News Broadcasting
NDTV Profit asserts ratings lead over CNBC
MUMBAI: Three weeks into launch and NDTV’s business channel NDTV Profit asserts it has toppled market leader CNBC in viewership among business news channels. The channel launched on 17 January.
Quoting from the latest Tam data, a company release states that NDTV Profit has beaten CNBC in the second week (23 – 29 January) since its launch with a market share of 57.9 per cent compared to CNBC’s 42.1 per cent in the all day parts in the C&S 4+ all India market.
Even in the key peak business hour (9 am to 4 pm) time band, NDTV Profit affirms its market leadership with a share of 52.9 per cent compared to CNBC’s 47.1 per cent in the above mentioned market.
NDTV director Sameer Manchanda attributes the success of the channel to its strong content and distribution. His claim: Profit has a reach almost twice that of CNBC.
CNBC-TV18, however, claims it continues to hold leadership position in its core audience group. Says CNBC TV 18 vice-president sales and marketing B Saikumar, “In our core audience, which is SEC A, B 25+ males, we are bigger than even NDTV 24×7 in all days and day parts. The TG that NDTV Profit has mentioned is not our TG and hence this claim doesn’t faze us.”
Commenting on the reach of Profit, Saikumar says a free-to-air channel would obviously have that advantage. That is a part of our business strategy, an NDTV official counters. “Our aim is to get maximum eyeballs and maximum reach. At the end of the day, delivery is what matters.”
Looks like a war has been declared. Stay tuned for more on the same front.
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.
