News Broadcasting
News18 India unveils Amrit Ratna, illustrious jury to decide winners
Mumbai: News18 India, India’s No. 1 Hindi News Channel, has announced the second edition of its prestigious ‘Amrit Ratna’. Scheduled for the 10th of October, 2023, this year’s edition will be a tribute to individuals who have raised India’s standing globally through their passion, exceptional talent and path-breaking achievements.
The recipients of the Amrit Ratna 2023 will be selected by distinguished jury comprising of:
• Justice Ranjan Gogoi – Former Chief Justice of India and Rajya Sabha Member.
• General Ved Prakash Malik – Former Chief of Army Staff and decorated military leader.
• Sonal Mansingh – Renowned classical dancer and Rajya Sabha Member, honoured with Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan.
• P.T. Usha – Former athlete and Rajya Sabha Member, celebrated for her outstanding achievements in sports.
• Dr. Ashok Seth – Eminent cardiologist and recipient of numerous prestigious awards.
These accomplished individuals will carefully evaluate the nominees for the Amrit Ratna, ensuring that the recipients truly represent what the honour stands for – outstanding contributions that have left a lasting impact and contributed to building the India story.
The recipients of the Amrit Ratna last year included notable individuals such as N.R. Narayana Murthy, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Adar Poonawalla, Rajinikanth and P.T. Usha, among others. These individuals truly exemplified the spirit of the honour and served as an inspiration to the entire nation.
The CEO of Hindi News, News18 Network, Karan Abhishek Singh commenting on the initiative said, “As India’s No. 1 Hindi News channel, we feel proud to celebrate individuals who through their achievements have contributed immensely to enhancing India’s standing and stature globally. We believe that initiatives such as these by a leading news channel such as ours go a long way in building the India story.”
Kishore Ajwani, the Managing Editor of News18 India said, “As a team we are particularly passionate about Amrit Ratna. We strongly believe that promoting the achievements of India and Indians is a part of our remit as India’s No. 1 Hindi News channel. We are very excited about our stellar line-up in 2023 and are confident that it will serve as a tremendous inspiration for our viewers.”
Stay tuned for more updates on the Amrit Ratna 2023 as we prepare to celebrate remarkable Indians who have made the country proud.
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.
