News Broadcasting
Spot The Scam: NDTV Profit’s new series digs deep
MUMBAI: Every investor, who has faith in the India growth story, wants to believe the market is fair; it is safe. But behind the flashing tickers and shiny promises, there are shadows – scamsters waiting to exploit trust and ambition of a new India.
NDTV Profit chose not to look away. It chose to light up those hidden corners and show viewers what really lies beneath. That is how Spot the Scam was born – a promise to watch over the markets, cut through its noise and stand by those who trade in good faith.
The very first investigation showed why this matters. In Delhi, a firm called Trade Dost boldly placed a full front‑page ad in a leading Hindi daily on July 13, offering intraday margins of 500 times, carry‑forward margins of 60 times, zero brokerage, instant deposits and withdrawals, and trading accounts without any paperwork. None of it had SEBI approval.
NDTV Profit’s intrepid reporters followed the trail and exposed the truth. Within days, the National Stock Exchange warned investors to stay away from Trade Dost and others like it. Soon after, the Securities and Exchange Board of India sent a formal notice to the newspaper that carried the illegal ad.
NDTV Profit managing editor, Tamanna Inamdar summed it up, “As more investors put their faith in India’s markets, scamsters are finding new tricks – AI, phishing, ever sharper tactics. Our job is not just to report, but to reveal. We will keep exposing, keep educating, and keep standing with those who invest with trust.”
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.
