News Broadcasting
Prasad meets PM, asserts CAS rollout deadline stands but softens tone
NEW DELHI: The 14 July deadline for rollout of conditional access system (CAS) stands, the government said today, though it is trying to tone down the stridency in its approach.
“The Prime Minister told me that the government should ensure that the (cable) consumers don’t end up paying higher (in a post-CAS regime) than what they are paying now,” information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told waiting journalists outside Atal Behari Vajpayee’s residence after a meeting with the PM today evening.
Asked what would be the price that the government thinks consumers are paying at present for their cable TV service, Prasad said, “The average would be between Rs 150-350.”
Upping of the limit to Rs 350 is an indicator of the fact that the government is attempting to soften what was earlier seen as a rigid stance on pricing. Prasad had earlier said that pay channels, along with the basic tier, would cost the consumers around Rs 200.
Reiterating that the deadline of 14 July for CAS implementation in the four metros stands and has got the backing of the Prime Minister, Prasad, however, again appealed to all the stakeholders of the industry, including the broadcasters, to facilitate a smooth transition to a CAS regime wherein the consumer would be king.
“I am aware of my powers in law, (but) I’ll again appeal to broadcasters to be consumer friendly,” Prasad said, adding that if the consumers are happy, then the broadcasters too would be happy.
“The law is very clear that if by the deadline (14 July) pay channels don’t declare their prices, they go off the TV screens,” Prasad added
According to the minister, he had last met the PM on CAS a month back and today he updated Vajpayee on the steps taken by the government, especially his ministry, on working towards a consumer-friendly CAS regime.
Asked whether the government is considering banning advertisements on pay channels to make the so-called errant broadcasters fall in line, Prasad said, “I am exploring every option.”
But experts say that bringing in a legislative change to rein in pay channels by banning ads on them or putting a quota on them would create problems for the government as Parliament is unlikely to okay such changes in a hurry without a thorough debate. Moreover, an ordinance in this regard aimed at cable operators or even the foreign broadcasters may not get the desired result as the next session of Parliament is round the corner and coincides with the CAS deadline.
As per law, an Ordinance has to go back to Parliament for ratification and that, again, may create problems for the government, experts say.
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.
