News Broadcasting
Super exclusive News18 India interview with Smriti Irani
Mumbai: News18 India recently aired a super exclusive interview with Smriti Zubin Irani, the union minister for women and child development. The highly-anticipated interview, conducted by renowned anchor Aman Chopra, touched upon several critical topics, including the longstanding demand for women’s reservation, political strategies, and the role of the Congress party in shaping the discourse.
In a candid conversation, Smriti Irani highlighted the historical significance of the demand for women’s reservation, emphasizing that it dates back to the time of the Constitution’s formation. She pointed out that despite the demand persisting for 75 years, the government successfully took historic steps within 72 hours to address this issue.
Addressing the Congress party’s role in women’s reservation, Smriti Irani stated that their policy was clear, but questioned why, during the UPA era when they had a full majority, they failed to pass the bill and allowed it to lapse. She also noted that Sonia Gandhi was absent from the floor during the voting and introduction of the bill.
Furthermore, Smriti Irani disputed the Congress party’s attempt to credit Rajiv Gandhi for the women’s reservation bill, calling it a false claim. She pointed out that P.V. Narasimha Rao ensured women’s reservation in Panchayati Raj, but the Congress party did not acknowledge his contribution.
Smriti Irani also criticised the Congress party for its derogatory comments about women and their lack of support for the bill. She highlighted the insensitive remarks made by some of their allies and questioned their commitment to women’s empowerment.
Regarding Rahul Gandhi’s recent statements about the bill, Smriti Irani clarified that the Constitution, in Article 82, clearly outlines the process of providing reserved seats, including census, delimitation, and then implementation. She criticised Rahul Gandhi’s oversimplification of complex issues and urged him to understand the intricacies involved.
Smriti Irani also questioned Rahul Gandhi’s newfound focus on OBCs, reminding the public of his past statements about the prime minister’s caste. She pointed out that the Modi government has been continuously targeted for nine years, even when the prime minister’s mother was alive. She highlighted the significant representation of OBCs in the BJP and questioned whether the Congress party had ever genuinely promoted OBC interests.
In the interview, Smriti Irani criticised the Gandhi family for their remote control approach to the economy and their habit of visiting religious places before elections. She accused them of repeatedly insulting religious sentiments for electoral gains.
In conclusion, Smriti Irani emphasised that the Congress party’s approach to issues like women’s reservation and religion has been divisive and opportunistic. She called for a more informed and responsible discourse in Indian politics.
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.
