News Broadcasting
Rudy fires poll shot on Live Times’ Point Blank
MUMBAI: It was no political tea break on Point Blank, it was all straight talk. Senior BJP leader and former union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy declared that the people of Bihar have already made up their minds in favour of the NDA, as he joined journalist Deepak Chaurasia for an exclusive interview on Live Times’ flagship prime-time show Point Blank.
Confident and composed, Rudy claimed the alliance was poised for a comfortable victory in the upcoming state polls, adding that “the mood on the ground is clear and consistent.”
Live Times founder Dilip Singh, said the episode aims to bring a “fresh and factual perspective” to the political narrative ahead of the Bihar elections. “Point Blank isn’t about sensationalism; it’s about hearing the truth directly from the source,” he noted.
Viewers can catch the full interview on 5 October at 8 PM exclusively on Live Times, India’s first global multicast news hub, available on DD Free Dish (100), Tata Play (539), Airtel Digital TV (385), Dish TV (665), Sikka Cable (519), and Jio TV (359).
The show can also be streamed live on the Live Times website and social platforms including Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Because when it comes to Bihar’s ballot buzz, Live Times promises exactly what it stands for: complete truth, whatever it takes.
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.
