News Broadcasting
News18 India announces bouquet of special programmes for Delhi elections
MUMBAI: With the crucial Delhi elections right around the corner, all the major political parties have hit the ground to woo the voters. Amidst burning state and national issues, as the national capital prepares to vote, News18 India has lined-up extensive reportage to give viewers unparalleled access and insight into the Delhi assembly election.
Under the umbrella programming of Sabse Bada Dangal, News18 India will delve deep into the election process, seamlessly capturing voters across communities, age, locations and social strata. The programming will comprise of detailed analysis along with an overall view of the political scenario through a multitude of shows. From election focused daily segment- Delhi ki Selfie to special episodes of popular shows such as Bhaiyaji Kahin and Lapete Mein Netaji, the programming will focus on real issues beyond the popular rhetoric and the manifestos.
Continuing with their legacy of bringing innovation in programming, the channel has also lined-up face-off between key political leaders in unique settings. In a first-of-its-kind, the channel will host debates in a car moving from one constituency to another along with in-studio debates, focusing on ground-level issues and defining the discourse for the elections. While Bhaiyaji Kahin will travel across the key constituencies to highlight people-centric issues, Lapete Mein Netaji will go on-ground to bring fresh perspective through a sharp sarcasm and humour to the intense political debates with politicians, poets and people on one platform.
The exhaustive election coverage on the channel will be led by eminent anchors and journalists such as Kishore Ajwani, Amish Devgan, Prateek Trivedi and Anand Narasimhan. The formidable editorial team will be joined by renowned political experts and commentators.
The programming will also cover polling day and continue until the Counting Day as News18 India will aim to bring an unmatched reportage and up-to-the-minute updates throughout the election right up to formation of the new government.
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.
