News Broadcasting
PM’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ generated over Rs 30.80 cr revenue since 2014: I&B ministry
New Delhi: Prime minister Narendra Modi’s monthly radio show, Mann Ki Baat has generated over Rs 30.80 crore as revenue since it began in 2014, with the highest of over Rs 10.64 crore earned in 2017-18, according to the ministry of information and broadcasting.
The data was shared by union minister Anurag Thakur in Rajya Sabha on the first day of the monsoon session. Thakur said, 34 DD channels and around 91 private Satellite TV channels broadcast this radio program throughout India. “Mann Ki Baat has achieved 11.8 crore viewership and 14.3 crore reach in 2020. This has created renewed interest and awareness in traditional radio,” he told the Parliament.
According to data shared by the ministry, the programme fetched Rs 1.16 crore as revenue in 2014-15, which rose to Rs 2.81 crore in 2015-16. The overall revenue crossed Rs 5.14 crore in 2016-17 and reached the highest mark of Rs 10.64 crore in 2017-18. However, the revenue has fallen since then. In 2018-19, it generated Rs 7.47 crore revenue in 2018-19, which came down to Rs 2.56 crore in 2019-20. In the pandemic torn 2020-21, it collected an overall revenue of Rs 1.02 crore, the lowest since 2014.
The programme is broadcast at 11 am on the last Sunday of each month through various channels of the All India Radio and Doordarshan. Prasar Bharati has broadcast 78 episodes of the programme till date on its AIR and Doordarshan network. It has also undertaken the translation and re-broadcast in 51 languages/dialects, he added.
As per the audience data measured by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), the cumulative reach of viewership of the programme has been estimated to range from approximately six crore to 14.35 crore during the period 2018 to 2020.
“The main objective of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme of the prime minister is to reach to the masses across the country through the radio,” said Thakur, “The programme also provides every citizen the opportunity to connect, suggest, and become part of participatory governance through the prime minister’s radio address.”
The minister said Prasar Bharati produces ‘Mann ki Baat’ leveraging existing in-house resources with no additional expenditure. “In-house staff is leveraged for production and existing translators engaged on assignment basis for language versions,” he added.
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.
