News Broadcasting
News18 Network captures highest YouTube views in second phase of elections
Mumbai: On the polling day (26 April) of the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections, News18 Network emerged as the most preferred choice of viewers with the highest viewership on YouTube.
According to the viewership data from Playboard, News18 India’s YouTube views reached 31.6 million on the polling day, surpassing key competitors.
With 14.2 million views, News18 Bangla was the most-watched Bengali news channel on YouTube.
News18 Punjab/Haryana/Himachal also amassed the highest viewership with 8.08 million video views on YouTube.
News18 Rajasthan captured 3 million views on YouTube, making it the most viewed news channel from the state on YouTube.
With over 2.6 million views on YouTube on the polling day, News18 Assam/NE surpassed all its competitors.
Talking about News18 Network’s exemplary performance on YouTube, Pranav Bakshi, Head of partnerships & Video strategy, Network 18 said, “Our exceptional viewership in key markets & languages during the polls is a reflection of our commitment to delivering high-quality programming and comprehensive election coverage from the ground zero. Our emphasis on localized content connects with viewers. The increased viewership has encouraged advertiser interest, as more brands recognize the power of reaching audiences across regions and languages, as we cover the elections in maximum languages & across India. Election= News18.”
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.
