News Broadcasting
Times Network in 100 countries now; launches two channels in Europe
CANNES: Times Network, a part of India’s largest media conglomerate, The Times Group, is set to launch two of its channels in Europe, marking its presence in over 100 countries.
The network will launch Times Now, India’s most popular English News Channel and Zoom — India’s No. 1 Bollywood channel, on the Bobbles Media GmbH DTH and OTT platforms in Europe. This will enable them to reach into territories like Europe including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Backed by Bennett, Coleman & Co, the Times Networks’s International Business recently received the ‘Porter Prize 2016’ for ‘Creating Distinctive Value’. It will be the fastest Indian TV network to cross the 100 country mark in under five years. Within under a year of its launch in the UK, where it reaches Engliand’s 1.4m Indians, the network is all geared up for further expansion in Europe.
Times Network head, international business, Naveen Chandra, said, “From Times Now’s commercial launch in Australia in early 2011 to its launch in Western Europe this month has been an incredible journey for the Network. We now reach over 10mn Indians globally. We are also all set to launch our first local content initiatives in Europe and look forward to growing aggressively in the region.”
Times Now commands 43% market share in the English News category, and 58% overall market share during prime time English News, according to Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India.
Zoom, a trendsetter in its genre, is available across five continents and 83 countries worldwide and also has a wide presence in the social media space.
Times Network houses upscale brands including; Times Now, ET Now, Magicbricks Now, Moview Now, MN+ – The Gold class of Hollywood; Romedy Now. The network delivers segmented and differentiated content under one umbrella. It informs, entertains and engages over 100 million urban affluent viewers in India and is available in over 82 countries across the globe.
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.
