News Broadcasting
Times Now to launch on 31 January
MUMBAI: Times Global Broadcasting Co. Ltd has finally announced the launch date of Times Now. From 31 January, the channel will beam into homes and can be streamed on Reliance IndiaMobile too.
Times Now, a Times Group and Reuters service is set to target the Indian urbanite with news and shows that are relevant, distinctive and appealing. Recently, the channel had joined hands with Reliance IndiaMobile providing access with headlines to the latter’s users.
The show lined-up for the weekdays includes; 16 Minutes, News Now, Nine To Noon, Across The Nation, Terminal Cap, Snapshots, Reuters World Report, The Newshour, Upfront, Sports Unplugged and News Unpullgged and A Few Good Men.
The channel will also air an array of other shows; Frankly Speaking with Arnab Goswami, Life Like That, By Invitation Only, Entertainment Now, All About Her, Brand Equity, The Foodie, Line Of Duty and Sporting Legends.
In a statement issued by Times Global Broadcasting, Times Now will harness the content from The Times of India, The Economic Times and Reuters, making it a news powerhouse. The channel will also carry live financial updates throughout the day from Reuters bureaus around the world – a feature unique to Times Now in the business news broadcast space.
Times Global Broadcasting Co.Ltd CEO Sunil Lulla says, “Times Now will create the second generation of television news in the broadcast space. With a focus on involving the consumer more closely in the news experience, the programming wheel blends the urgent news needs of the urbanite. It links every news story to the bigger picture. We believe news is an experience and Times Now will make India ‘Feel The News’.”
A digitally encrypted pay service, the channel was visible in form of show-reel (dry-run), since 2 January.
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.
