News Broadcasting
News18 gears up for Bihar’s biggest election result marathon
MUMBAI: The countdown is on and so is the coverage. As Bihar braces for its most closely watched election verdict in years, News18 Network is taking pole position with its Maha Coverage, promising to be first, fastest, and fiercest on results day.
From dawn on 14 November, the network’s election engines will roar to life, with over 150 reporters and video journalists stationed across 38 districts and 46 counting centres, feeding live updates straight into the newsroom’s high-tech Live Results Hub, the only ground-fed media results system of its kind in India.
And that’s not all. A 50-member editorial team will man the Hub, crunching and verifying every number before it hits the air, ensuring that what viewers see is as precise as it is prompt. The Hub, which has reported hundreds of elections over 21 years, will once again serve as the beating heart of India’s most-watched election broadcast.
The network isn’t stopping at numbers, it’s doubling down on narrative. Twelve top anchors including Kishore Ajwani, Amish Devgan, Rubika Liyaquat, Prateek Trivedi, Aman Chopra, and Pankaj Bhargava will headline the marathon coverage, bringing together political heavyweights, psephologists, and opinion leaders for what promises to be Bihar’s most animated political showdown at least on television.
The News18 studios outside the Bihar Assembly will turn into a live-action political theatre, complete with debates, data dives, and dramatic insights, all delivered at a breakneck pace. Expect fiery exchanges, sharp number-crunching, and exclusive interviews with the state’s most influential leaders.
Behind the scenes, News18’s control room will orchestrate one of the largest logistical operations in Indian media. Reporters will beam live updates from deep in Bihar’s hinterland from booth-level trends to family homes of key political players ensuring no local twist goes unnoticed.
It’s all part of what the network calls its “Maha Coverage,” a multi-layered news blitz blending real-time data, cutting-edge graphics, and instant expert analysis, designed to keep viewers informed and entertained as the political picture unfolds.
“Accuracy and speed are our twin pillars,” a senior editor from the network said. “Elections are not just about who wins, they’re about how the story is told. And on that front, we’re leaving nothing to chance.”
With millions expected to tune in, News18 India, the country’s most-watched news channel is gearing up to turn Bihar’s result day into a national spectacle.
As the ballots open and Bihar decides its political fate, one thing’s certain on 14 November from 6 am onwards, all eyes, remotes, and refresh buttons will be locked on one destination: News18 Network, where the numbers never lie, and the story never sleeps.
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.
