News Broadcasting
Network 18 to raise 2 billion via rights issue
MUMBAI: Network 18 will be raising around Rs 2 billion through a rights issue to fund the film business, pay back debt and enter into other media opportunities.
The company, which holds TV 18 Group, also houses Studio 18 and Shop 18. While Studio 18 is engaged in film business, Shop 18 is a television network dedicated to home shopping.
“We will be using the money to fund our movie business and also retire some debt. We are also looking at opportnities in entering into new lines of media business,” says a source in the company.
Network 18 board today also approved the rights issue of partly convertible cumulative preference shares (CCPS) of Rs 200 (face value) each in the ratio of 1:5.
A detailed structure and other terms of the issue will be decided later. The rights issue committee of the Network 18 board will work in consultation with the lead managers to the issue.
Director Sanjay Ray Chaudhuri shall be excluded from the promoter category of the company. “In any future correspondence with the Stock Exchanges / shareholders etc., name of Chaudhuri shall not be included in the Promoter / Promoter Group of the company,” Network 18 said in a statement.
Meanwhile, TV 18’s board has declared an interim dividend of 40 per cent or Rs 2 per equity share of Rs 5 each.
Network 18 fell 6.2 per cent on the BSE to close the day at Rs 322.25 even as its board approved a rights issue. TV 18, on the other hand, slipped 5.42 per cent to end at Rs 525.20.
News Broadcasting
Network18 trims FY26 losses as Q4 revenue touches Rs 1,955 crore, 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.
