News Broadcasting
TN Seetharam to chat with Karnataka’s current and ex CMs on ‘Naanu Mukhyamantri’
Mumbai : TN Seetharam gets Karnataka’s Current and Former CMs to speak their hearts on Naanu Mukhyamantri – Exclusively on News First Election season has started early in Karnataka.
News First is first off the blocks. News First kicked off election season with Matha Yudha 2023 (Battles for Votes 2023) and Nimma Kshetradhalli News First (News First in Your Constituency). Jabardasth (Prime Time Election Decoder) and Idhidhu Idhange (Inside Political News As It Is) followed. News First is now ready with its weekend trump card, Naanu Mukhyamantri (Me and the Chief Minister).
In a major programming innovation coup, News First has roped in Karnataka’s famous TV legal eagle, TN Seetharam to host a weekend show on the channel.
For the first time on Indian News Television, Fiction meets Fact, says the Program Promotions.
TN Seetharam (TNS) is considered a Prime Time Guru in Kannada GEC. The auteur has had a series of successes on the small screen. Muktha, Muktha Muktha, Maya Mrugha, Manvantara, Magalu Janaki are some of his ‘M’inently feted soaps across Karnataka.
His latest show Mathay Mayamruga is currently on air. Bringing TNS onto News First was planned long back says Maruthi SH – Editor in Chief – News First “TN Seetharam is a household name in Karnataka. His content strong stories have made him a legend on GEC. Also his demeanour is calm and composed. Since its launch News First has positioned itself as not just another news channel. So noise and News First don’t go together. So partnering with TNS fit like a glove for News First” In Naanu Mukhyamantri TNS engages in a one on one with Karnataka’s Current Chief Minister and Eight Former Chief Ministers.
The style is easy conversational and not his usual incisive style.
Speaking about the show TNS had this to say “News First is one of the few watchable news channels in Karnataka. My daughter too is a big fan of theirs ! So when Ravi and Maruthi approached me, I thought why not be part of some thing unique and professional.
The CM and the ex CMS are all very good friends of mine. So it wasn’t too difficult to get them to open up, wholeheartedly.” News First is known for Constant Smart Brand Integrations, Innovative Selling Ideas and Event Associations on Scale. With this first of kind show on Indian News Television, News First seeks to stay true to and enhance its brand reputation.
News First MD & CEO Ravikumar on Naanu Mukhyamantri “News First is always looking to innovate its content and programming. We’ve won appreciation for our inspirational business shows like Nannu Nanna Sadhane (Me and my achievement), Mane Mane Meenakshi (Afternoon show for women – No: 1 in its slot) and Social Programming to uplift the man on the ground Naanu Mukhyamantri is an innovation we are proud of. Fiction meeting Fact is a rarity. With Naanu Mukhyamantri, we are achieving just that”
News First business head S Divaakar was equally optimistic about the show. “We expect Naanu Mukhyamantri to be a milestone in Kannada News Industry. TN Seetharam and News First on Prime Time, are a brand fit made for Weekend Television” News First appears to have a winner on its hands with Naanu Mukhyamantri featuring the ever reliable TN Seetharam and Karnataka’s most widely recognised and followed political heavyweights.
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.
