News Broadcasting
Swaraj stresses role of media in combating terrorism
NEW DELHI: The media has an important role and responsibility in fighting and isolating forces of terror. The battle is to be fought by the journalists, not with guns and tanks, but with their pens and words, information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj said here today.
Inaugurating a Foundation Course in Journalism for a group of 15 Afghan journalists at the Indian Institute of Mass Communications, here today, Swaraj said that the forces of terrorism are still active in our region, and pose a threat to the peace and progress of humanity.
The minister said that the journalists must contribute in the reconstruction and re-building process. The newspapers in Afghanistan, should not only inform the citizens of the country, of the initiatives and programmes of the Afghanistan Government, they should also comment on what needs to be done further, Swaraj said.
Secretary, information and broadcasting, Pawan Chopra, said the electronic media, especially television, plays a great role in initiating thought and action through information. He said India has undergone a revolution in electronic media and the friends from Afghanistan must make the best use of their exposure in this field.
The course is designed to develop trained manpower to meet challenges of the times and more so when the image and the events in the country need to be projected in the right perspective and development and reconstruction efforts of the government need media and information support. Fifteen journalists and government media officers are attending the two-month course.
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.
