News Broadcasting
Puthiya Thalaimurai’s office bombed; I&B state minister condemns attack
MUMBAI: News is a tough business is something we all know. But it can be life threatening too. That’s something journalists at Tamil news channel Puthiya Thalaimurai must be feeling.
The channel’s office in Chennai was attacked by four men on two motorcycle who hurled crude bombs packed in a lunch box at 3 am on Thursday morning. No one was inured nor was there any damage to Puthiya Thailaimura’s office.
Media reports indicate that the channel had become the target of fringe right wing fundamentalist groups who had been threatening its management ever since it aired promos about a programme debating the importance of mangalsutra in India. A cameraman working for the channel was assaulted earlier this week by some protesters who had gathered outside its office.
The channel’s management decided to not go ahead with the telecast, say reports, and sought police protection. Even though that was provided, it did not deter the attackers.
The attack led to protests from journalists associations in Chennai who protested that media freedom was increasingly coming under pressure in India. While earlier, it was restricted to print media, it had now extended to TV reporters too.
The police announced later in the evening that it had identified the six attackers from CCTV footage and arrested them. All the suspects reportedly belonged to Hindu Illaignar Sena, a little-known outfit functioning from Koyambedu, in Chennai.
Union Minister of state for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore later in the day told PTI that the the act against Puthiya Thailaimura’s office was “unacceptable”.
He told the news service that “this is not acceptable in our country. The programmes of television are governed by a programe code which is part of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994. Viewers are free to write to us (I&B ministry), to the News Broadcasters Association, Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) or to Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) if its regarding any advertisement if they feel. Nobody is allowed to take law in his hand. ”
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.
