News Broadcasting
Trai likely to recommend 5-8 % hike in cable rates
NEW DELHI: Broadcast and cable regulator, Trai, is expected to recommend a 5-8 per cent annual hike in the cable TV prices, in line with the yearly rise in inflation for the calendar year 2004.
The new prices will come into effect from 26 December and an announcement will be made before that.
“We cannot keep the cable prices frozen forever and there would be some increase in the pricing. We expect the annual hike to be equivalent to the consumer price index rise or the annual increase in inflation,” Trai chief Pradip Baijal said today.
Quizzed whether the price revision could work out to between 5-8 per cent as increase in inflation, Baijal agreed saying, “It should be in that region.”
Though Telecom regulatory Authority of India (Trai) today issued The Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Second) Tariff Order 2004, effective from today itself, the prices are to be kept in the coolers till new rates or a formula to calculate it is announced by Trai.
The regulator is reviewing the subscription charges that were frozen since December 26, 2003. Trai said in a statement today: “This revision is expected to be completed in November 2004, so that it can take effect from 26 December 2004, that is one year from the date from which the prices had been frozen.”
The authority through its order dated 15 January, 2004 and subsequent amendments had specified that the all cable TV-related charges (excluding taxes) were being frozen as of 26 December 2003.
A number of representations had been received seeking clarification on the manner in which new pay channels can be priced and the impact on retail prices. Similarly, clarifications have also been sought on the impact of channels that were free-to-air on 26 December, 2003 and having later converted to pay.
According to Trai, this issue has been carefully considered by the authority. Since new channels will be coming into the market, a mechanism has to be provided for pricing of these new channels. At the same time, there is a need to conserve the protection provided to the consumers by the Tariff Order dated 15 January, 2004.
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.
