News Broadcasting
Subrata, not Sahara, logo for Indian team
NEW DELHI: Just as the Indian cricket team prepared for its departure to Colombo for the Champions Trophy, another of the vexed issues dogging the team was sorted out today. Subrata Roy’s Sahara India, the sponsor of the national squad will not be sporting its logo on the team’s flannels.
Instead, the sponsor name will be Subrata. Sahara was barred from appearing as the team logo following objections raised by global ICC sponsor South African Airways, as there was a conflict of interest between SAA and Sahara Airways was the contention.
At a press conference in Delhi today, Roy said that it was only in the national interest that he did not go ahead and sue over the issue as it would have jeapordised the team’s being able to play in the tournament.
LG INDIA NOT TO ADVERTISE ON SONY:
Meanwhile, another global sponsor LG India made it official today that it would not be advertising on Sony Entertainment Television India.
LG India, was the only global partner (the other two being Pepsi and Hero Honda) with direct business interests in India that failed to sign on with SET India over what it termed as unreasonably high ad rates. According to industry sources, at last count it had conveyed to Sony that it was willing to pay in the region of $ 3000 for a 30 second spot.
When it was finally confirmed on Monday that a full strength team would be winging its way to Colombo, it was thought that LG might be willing to reconsider its stance. However, this never happened and LG India marketing head Ganesh Mahalingam had this to say: “I have not signed on with Sony because the rates are to high. I will instead be increasing my exposure to (national broadcaster) Doordarshan instead and that will give me enough and adequate mileage.
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.
