News Broadcasting
Programming revamp benefitted News18 India, says editorial head
MUMBAI: Hindi news channel News18 India, which undertook a revamp of its programming strategy few months back focusing on exclusive reports largely based on sting ops, has claimed that the plan is working as its ratings and viewership have increased.
Some of the sting operations carried by News18 India after programming reboot included ‘ Operation Namak Haram’ that exposed top Pakistani film actors and singers living in India and their alleged involvement in black money deals; ‘Surgical Strike Ka Saboot’ involved a police officer in PoK or Pakistan-occupied Kashmir who admitted that strikes were carried out by the Indian Army on September 29, 2016 and ‘Operation Kaali Kursi’ that exposed bank managers of private banks willing to aid an undercover reporter in converting almost Rs. 70 million of old currency notes into new ones after demonetization late last year.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, News18 India consulting editor Prabal Pratap Singh said, “The channel has grown exponentially since its re-launch. Several of our shows are consistently No. 1in their slots. This is a testimony to the content that we have been airing, which is in line with our channel’s philosophy of `Danke Ki Chot Par’.”
Singh said as the editorial head of the channel, his role is to help the team focus on issues that are relevant to India, especially those viewers who would be watching or tracking a Hindi news channel. “Focus on pertinent content and issues, relevant to our viewers, has ensured tremendous growth in our viewership,” he added.
According to BARC India data of weeks 15-18, News18 India had an average weekly impression of 3634 (in ‘000) with a 16 per cent market share in the HSM megacities in NCCS 15+, which placed the channel one spot behind the segment leader Zee News that had a market share of 17.5 per cent during the period under review.
News18 India is part of the Network18 group that is controlled by Mukesh Ambani-promoted Reliance Industries Ltd. Reliance acquired Network18 from its founder Raghav Bahl and his associates in 2014.
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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.
