News Broadcasting
Raj TV starts uplinking from Bangkok; SC bench to hear the case in December
MUMBAI: Raj Television Network has started uplinking its channels from Bangkok on 18 November at 12:05 am on a temporary basis in deference to a court order.
According to the network CEO and marketing head Rajeev Nambiar, the new arrangement is for two weeks.
Nambiar said a division bench of the Supreme Court would hear the case again in the first week of December.
“Supreme Court while issuing the notice, has asked us to stop uplinking from the Chennai teleport facility. Obeying this order, we have shifted the uplinking operations to Thaicom Bangkok for two weeks,” he added.
In what seems like an optimistic anticipation, Nambiar pointed out that this is a “stopgap arrangement,” which will be there till the case comes up before the Supreme Court bench again for hearing in the first week of December.
The court battle between the communication ministry and the Raj TV network had been going on since some time.
It all started with the ministry revoking the licence given to Raj TV since the network had been telecasting two channels – Vissa and Raj Musix- for over a year without valid licence or permission.
This was being done at a time when the licence granted was valid for Raj TV and Raj Digital Plus only.
Another serious charge made by the ministry against the network was the non-renewal of its licence. The network had continued to telecast its channels without renewing the licence even after it had expired in September 2003.
On 8 November, a division bench of Madras High Court had terminated the network’s licence before granting it ten days’ time to fulfill its Diwali programming obligations.
According to Nambiar, the network, meanwhile, moved the SC, filing a special petition and stay application against the Madras High Court order.
But on 17 November, the apex court upheld the decision of communication ministry to cancel the network’s uplinking licence.
These developments forced the channel to shift its uplinking from the Chennai teleport to Bangkok on 18 November.
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.
