News Broadcasting
NDTV reports lower operating loss for fiscal 2018
BENGALURU: The Prannoy and Radhika Roy-led New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) reported lower consolidated operating loss for the year ended 31 March 2018 (FY 2018, year under review) as compared to the corresponding periods of the previous fiscal. The company has brought down its expenses during the year under review across major parameters such as employee costs, production expenses and cost of services, operating and administration expenses, marketing promotion and distribution expenses as compared to the previous year.
NDTV reported 12.4 per cent decline in consolidated operating revenue for FY 2018 at Rs 429.01 crore as compared to Rs 489.99 crore in FY 2017. Consolidated total revenue declined 12.3 per cent in FY 2018 to Rs 439.71 crore from Rs 501.45 crore in the previous year. Consolidated operating loss (EBITDA) in FY 2018 at Rs 35.97 crore was lower than the consolidated operating loss of Rs 42.32 crore in fiscal 2017. Total comprehensive loss (TCL) for the fiscal under review was slightly lower at Rs 84.35 crore as compared to Rs 86.18 crore in FY 2017.
The company suffered a consolidated operating loss for the fourth quarter ended 31 March 2018 at Rs 9.45 crore as compared to a consolidated operating profit of Rs 16.63 crore (11.4 per cent of operating revenue) in the corresponding year ago quarter Q4 2018. NDTV reported consolidated TCL of Rs 20.40 crore during the quarter under review as compared to a consolidated total comprehensive income of Rs 7.14 crore in Q4 2017.Consolidated operating revenue in Q4 2018 fell 25.7 per cent yoy to Rs 108.40 crore as compared to Rs 145.92 crore in Q4 2017.
Let us look at the other consolidated numbers reported by NDTV
Total expense in FY 2018 reduced 12.5 per cent to Rs 501.06 crore from Rs 572.55 crore in the previous year. Production expenses and cost of services reduced 23.3 per cent in FY 2018 to Rs 83.64 crore from Rs 109.05 crore in FY 2017. Employee benefit expense during the year under review reduced 9.5 per cent in fiscal 2018 to Rs 212.59 crore from Rs 234.90 crore in the previous year. Operation and administration expense reduced 7.5 per cent in FY 2018 to Rs 106.61 crore from Rs 115.30 crore in FY 2017. Marketing, promotion and distribution expense during the year under review reduced 14.9 per cent to Rs 62.14 crore from Rs 72.06 crore in FY 2017.
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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.
