News Broadcasting
News18 India launches original web series ‘FIR No. 208’
Mumbai: In a first for an Indian news channel, News18 India has announced the launch of its original web series, FIR No. 208, which premieres on 3 February.
Conceptualised and hosted by News18 India’s managing editor Kishore Ajwani, FIR No. 208 showcases the web of deceit spun by Sukesh Chandrashekhar and his crimes that were not exposed in the public domain till now. News18 India will reveal the inside story of Chandrashekhar, who duped his victims out of tens of crores of rupees until his arrest in 2022.
News18 India has produced this five-episode web series in a tell-all narrative, which features real people and actual locations. The narrators featured in the show are investigators from the Delhi Police and Enforcement Directorate, journalists who reported Chandrashekhar’s cases, his victims, employees of his companies and other individuals who had real encounters with the conman. The show delves into the mind of Chandrashekhar, who enticed Bollywood stars and looted crores of rupees, among other things.
Speaking about News18 India’s foray into web series, Kishore Ajwani said, “This is the first ever web series produced by an Indian news channel. Being a news media company, we know inside details of Chandrashekhar’s escapades with the common man, Bollywood stars and prominent industrialists and their wives. This helps us explore the murky depths of this conman’s mind and show our viewers the true story. This has been a project I have been associated with from the drawing board to hosting, through production and I am sure that our viewers will love the format in which my team and I are delivering this story.”
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.
