News Broadcasting
Prasar Bharati financial rejig awaits GoM nod
NEW DELHI: A group of ministers (GoM) looking into a possible financial restructuring of pubcaster Prasar Bharati to boost its revenue generation capacity has said no final decision has been taken on various options.
On Thursday, Prasar Bharati, which manages Doordarshan and All India Radio, made a presentation to the GoM highlighting its plus and negative points, including possible ways to augment revenue generation that is lagging far behind annual expenses incurred.
While confirming that a presentation was made to the GoM, Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma told indiantelevision.com that it was made clear to him that the ministers would look into the issue before taking the package to the Cabinet for a final approval. Sarma added amongst the many options presented before the GoM were levying a one-time cess on TV and radio sets in the country and tapping the capital market.
These options, Sarma said, were in line with a report prepared by a panel, headed by information and broadcasting secretary, set up to look into the financial restructuring. The report is now being studied by the GoM.
Asked whether the GoM and then the government are likely to okay the financial restructuring of Prasar Bharati during his tenure, which ends 30 June 2006, Sarma replied in the negative, hinting that the issue is likely to take more time.
Amongst the options, as has been reported by indiantelevision.com last year, is also one that envisages the government holding equity in the pubcaster against assets, which will facilitate a capital restructuring of the financially beleaguered Prasar Bharati or Broadcasting Corporation of India.
A government official added that media reports on financial restructuring of Prasar Bharati were “premature.”
In the meanwhile, reports on levying a cess on TV and radio sets to give a fillip to Prasar Bharati revenue has almost set the cat the pigeon with stiff opposition coming from consumer electronics manufacturers.
However, present I&B minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi’s predecessor Jaipal Reddy had been against levying a cess on TV and radio sets. His justification: the cost of collecting this cess from all over the country would be more than the actual amount collected.
British broadcaster BBC is partly funded through this mode where Englanders pay a nominal amount at the time of buying of a TV or radio set. A recent proposal of the Tony Blair government to hike this amount has been widely resisted British citizens.
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.
