News Broadcasting
NDTV revenue up Rs 640 million for Q1 ended 30 June
MUMBAI: News Delhi Television (NDTV)’s revenue rose 54 per cent to Rs 640 million for the first quarter ended 30 June 2006, up from Rs 415 million a year ago.
The company’s net profit (PAT) and before employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) has increased to Rs 27 million as against Rs 2.3 million in the same quarter of the previous year. The operating profit for the quarter stood at Rs 81.7 million, up 92 per cent from Rs 42.6 million.
“The network’s market leadership is well reflected in the first quarter’s robust topline growth. The company has added 75 first time advertisers and 175 new brands this quarter, taking the total brand and advertising universe to 2261,” the company said in a release.
During this quarter, the company has launched Astro Awani, a 24 hour news channel in Indonesia, in partnership with Astro, a leading South East Asia media group. It is the first channel launched by NDTV generating news that is not India-related and is specifically for viewers of that country. NDTV plans to launch a similar channel with Astro in Malaysia by this year end.
“Our news network’s leadership in an environment of increasing competition reflects the strength and credibility of the NDTV brand and the trust our viewers place in us. Going forward, we remain focused on becoming a composite media house and will continue to pioneer new areas of media work,” NDTV Ltd chairman Dr Prannoy Roy said.
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.
