News Broadcasting
Private FM broadcasters feel vindicated by Trai decision
“All the important decision makers, including the information and broadcasting minister, the deputy prime minister, the finance minister and the Amit Mitra headed task force have all heard us out,” he says, referring to the meeting the broadcasters had with the powers that be in Delhi in February, asking for deferment, as well as relaxation in the terms and conditions of the license fee regime.
“They have made our claims and complaints uptil now very valid,” Dutta said.
The first welcome signs of respite for FM players had come during the Ficci Frames convention in March, when I&B minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, in his inaugural address, mentioned that “on radio, the government was moving in the right direction”, and that “radio was poised for great things” in the country.
“It’s a logical step and one in the right direction,” says Go’s station director Sharique Patel. “It is something that will help us in the short run definitely. Hope the government accepts the Trai’s recommendations now.”
Once that happens, Patel believes, the entire FM community will breathe a lot easier.
AP Parigi, managing director of the Times Group’s Entertainment Network (India) Ltd (which manages its FM station Radio Mirchi), said, We are studying the interim recommendation of the TRAI. Given the industrys precarious financial condition, we are happy that this recommendation has been given.
News Broadcasting
Network18 trims FY26 losses as Q4 revenue touches Rs 1,955 crore, 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.
