News Broadcasting
News18 Kannada ends TV9’s 20-year reign to claim no. 1 spot
MUMBAI: In a landmark moment for Karnataka’s television news ecosystem, News18 Kannada has unseated TV9 Kannada after 20 uninterrupted years at the top. The latest Barc ratings confirm a seismic shift in regional viewership, marking the first time since 2006 that TV9 Kannada has slipped from the no. 1 position.
News18 Kannada clinched the lead with 33,757 AMA 000s, capturing a robust 25.4 percent market share. TV9 Kannada followed closely at 32,937 AMA 000s with a 24.8 percent share. (Source: TG: NCC 15+; Week 46’25: 15–11–2025 to 21–11–2025 vs Week 45’25: 08–11–2025 to 14–11–2025, All)
The breakthrough underscores News18 Kannada’s growing resonance across the state, powered by its quick, reliable and sharply focused journalism. Viewers appear to be gravitating towards channels offering richer ground reporting, deeper local connect and stronger digital integration, signalling what industry observers call a broader “south-side shift” in news consumption behaviour.
With this feat, News18 Kannada joins the wider Network18 regional line-up, which includes strong performers such as News18 Kerala, News18 Tamil Nadu, News18 Gujarati, News18 Lokmat, News18 Bangla and News18 Assam/NE, among others.
The latest ratings not only place News18 Kannada at the peak for the first time in two decades but also confirm a changing tide in Karnataka’s news preferences. For viewers, it signals fresh energy in the regional news race. For the industry, it marks the beginning of a new chapter.
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.
