News Broadcasting
Taking advantage of digital age key to unlocking shareholder value: Murdoch
MUMBAI: A couple of days ago during a speech at News Corp’s annual stock holder meeting, chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch stressed on the importance of taking advantage of the digital age.
Murdoch noted that if News Corp wanted to deliver on the mission of returning value to its shareholders then it is important that the company is transformed to take advantage of the massive digital transition that is occurring. “At its core, this company from the very beginning has been about offering choice – greater choice – to under-served consumers.
“It’s what led us to create a fourth broadcast network and a third cable news network; a regional sports network and a UK and Italian satellite platform. Empowering the consumer through greater choice is exactly what this company strives to accomplish. And there’s no greater medium of choice than the Internet.”
He noted that to leverage the value of the online world the company formed a special Internet unit earlier this year. Properties like Intermix Media were acquired that have instantly delivered tens of millions of new customers, and, in the process, begun a transformation of the company.
Speaking on the media major’s performance, the News Corp boss said, “I’m very pleased to report that fiscal 2005 was another record year for the Company on virtually every key financial indicator. The past three years of double-digit revenue and operating income growth have placed your company in the strongest financial position in its history.”
Some highlights that Murdoch listed:
• Net income up 39 per cent to $2.1 billion. A record.
• Cash flow from operations up 41 per cent to $3.4 billion. A record.
• Revenues up 15 per cent to $23.9 billion. Another record.
News Corp finished the year with $6.5 billion in cash, while net debt fell to just $4.5 billion.
STAR EXCITING GROWTH DRIVER
Murdoch also made a pointed reference to News Corp’s Asian operations stating: “The other major asset in the Television segment – our pan-Asian channels group Star – was a testament to how a bold, long-term vision can pay off. After a long infancy, Star has blossomed into one of News Corp’s most exciting growth drivers. Earnings more than doubled last year and I fully expect them to be significantly higher again this year. Star India, which has the most popular shows on cable and a vast library of local programming, is becoming a major profit contributor. And in China we have a great presence with Xing Kong and I’m confident of our future there.”
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.
