News Broadcasting
“Outdated measurement system promoting dramatic reporting on news channels”: ABP Network’s Avinash Pandey
NEW DELHI: Recently, Indiantelevision.com came out with a story on the aftermath of the untimely demise of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput and the media circus that followed sharing crucial details of his reported suicide. While many attributed it to the constant race to gain TRPs, some indicated that Indian audience thrives on the unnecessary frivolous drama that channels propagate.
Addressing the same concerns in a virtual fireside chat with Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO and editor in chief Anil Wanvari, ABP Network (earlier ABP News Network) CEO Avinash Pandey stated that another issue forcing Indian news channels to indulge in dramatic reportage is the outdated measurement system deciding the ratings.
“The rating system measures entertainment very perfectly; it may not be measuring news very perfectly. The content sensibilities for different levels of society in India are very different. The NCCS model today is so generalised that there is hardly any scope for good content to thrive. The NCCS A group today, even our drivers could easily qualify for that,” Pandey explained.
“And this is not just for news, in fact. If you look at the overall TV industry, so many unique content channels get zero ratings and eventually closed. It’s not that they don’t have any viewers but the rating (system) today doesn’t reflect their true constituency.”
He added that it is difficult to digest that so many people are searching for and watching content like that on pull mediums but reject that on push mediums.
Pandey agreed that television news industry is heavily dependent on advertisers today and based on ratings, it is evident that ‘song, dance, drama’ works. “Telling story in a dramatised way, literally on the boundary of being frivolous gets you the ratings. That’s the sad part that makes you think that what is the future of doing good journalism on TV in our country?”
Pandey shared that ABP Network, however, is trying its best to steer away from it. “We have stopped regular debates on our channels. When you are keeping a scheduled time for debate, you are forced to pick up a topic, which then leads to agenda pushing. We do not take ads from any fortune-teller or baba or put their content on our channels,” he elaborated.
He insisted that it is trying to adhere to highest quality standards when it comes to reporting and also denied that the channel was insensitive in covering Rajput’s story.
On being prodded about the treatment of Tabhligi Jamat on his channel during the onset of Covid2019 pandemic, Pandey shared that it was a heated time of ‘unprecedented uncertainty’ that led the reporters and anchors to deal with the subject in a different manner, picking up on the reasons that were leading to the spread of the diseases.
He added that the channel is constantly evolving its reportage based on the developments happening in the industry and around the world.
Watch the full discussion here:
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.
