News Broadcasting
Sab TV firms up current affairs channel plan – Madhavi Mutatkar to head
MUMBAI: It was exactly this time last year, that Sab TV cofounder Markand Adhikari had announced that his network was going to launch a news channel apart from a regional language channel.
He did not specify any timelines. Well the timelines seem to be getting clearer now. According to industry sources, Sab TV is all geared up to launch its Hindi current affairs channel shortly. Unconfirmed reports are that a head for the channel has also been appointed: Madhavi Mutatkar, the former president of Zee TV, who has been involved in television software production through her company Impact Vision, of late.
Additionally, a wag discloses that the channel launch is being hurried through as national elections are being advanced. Adhikari is hoping to cash in on the election fever in a bid to get eyeballs and a piece of the advertising cake.
It is learnt that Vir Sanghvi, Karan Thapar and Smriti Z Iraani, all of whom anchor news based talk shows for Sab TV, will be roped in for similar shows on the new channel.
Mutatkar was unavailable for comment. Adhikari, when contacted, however insisted that no new channel was on the anvil and maintained that announcements would be made at an appropriate time.
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.
