News Broadcasting
Rajat Sharma ropes in Tejpal as co-host
NEW DELHI: Like the Sehwag-Sachin duo of masterblasters, TV channels too seem to be hunting in pairs during the big test of general elections. Rajat Sharma has brought in journalist – turned – entrepreneur Tarun Tejpal (of Tehlka-fame) to CO-host poll special on India TV, which went for a soft launch on Sunday.
Another place where a strong pair would be batting hoping to put up a sterling performance is NDTV where Prannoy Roy has teamed up with an old associate, Vinod Dua, for the elections.
India TV, the latest venture of Sharma along with associate, would formally appear in a 24-hour avatar from the third week of May, something that had been reported by indiantelevision.com earlier. But taking advantage of the excitement that events like elections generate in this country, the new kid on the news block would kick off with three-hour election special, called Chunaav Ki Baat.
The program will feature election news and direct interfaces with politicians, alongside in-depth reporting on the constituencies and the campaign activities of various politicians.
Describing the vision behind election special and India TV, Sharma said, Responsible reporting, supported by world-class technology, fresh faces and an international look will make India TV different.
Sharma also said that the news channel would have one of the biggest network of reporters in the country, which would be using fibre optic links for transmission of newsfeeds.
The India TV team includes industry detrains like head of news Ramesh Parida, editor of news service Hemant Sharma, head of distribution Arun Poddar (who comes from ESPN), head of adsales and marketing Sanjay Reddy, and head of the technology team AN Khandpur, who has spent 30 years handling satellite transmission with Indias long distance telecom carrier Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd.
India TV promises to provide viewer with a world-class experience through its state-of-the-art broadcast centre in Noida, on the outskirts of Delhi.
Spread over 80,000 sq feet the broadcast centre has fully automated digital newsrooms and four studio floors with multi-camera set-ups, all designed for 24-hour live news broadcast.
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.
