News Broadcasting
Star News likely to get yet another extension
NEW DELHI: Controversy notwithstanding, Star News is likely to get another extension for uplinking from India when the final extension expires Wednesday midnight.
This was indicated by a senior government functionary on Tuesday, when some media barons and representatives had a series of meetings with ministers, including Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, on the need for uniformity in media policies and strict implementation of local rules and regulations.
Though Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad did not want to speak much on the Star News issue officially, government sources indicated that the channel would continue to uplink from India as there is a court order in this regard.
“In the wake of the court order, without giving any specific and concrete reason, the government cannot stop permission for uplinking to Star News,” a government source said. The sources further said that the inter-ministerial group is likely to meet again this weekend — after the period of replies and counter-replies is over between Star News and the government — to discuss a base paper on the issue prepared by the I&B ministry.
Though there have been media reports that this inter-ministerial group is likely to reject Star News’ plea and arguments, government sources said on Tuesday that even if the I&B ministry has a point of view, the representative from the department of company affairs (DCA) may have views contrary to this.
“So, it’s early to say what the ministerial group may finally come up with. After that the issue goes to a group of ministers and, if necessary, to the cabinet too,” a source said.
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.
