News Broadcasting
Turner derides Fox News as a US government propaganda tool
MUMBAI: Media moghul Ted Turner, founder CNN, has once again taken aim at his arch nemesis Rupert Murdoch. Traversing terrain that Turner has covered before, the target of his attack is Fox News.
Speaking a few days ago at a summit of the National Association Of Broadcasters (NAB) in the US, Turner dismissed Fox as being a “propaganda voice” of the Bush administration.
“There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s certainly legal. But it does pose problems for our democracy. When the news is dumbed down it leaves voters without critical information on politics and world events and overloaded with fluff.” He went on to compare Fox News Channel’s popularity to Adolf Hitler’s rise in Germany before World War II.
This is not the first time that Turner has gone after Fox in this manner. A couple of years ago he had called Murdoch a warmonger for Fox News Channel’s reportage during the US-led invasion of Iraq.
TURNER LAMBASTS MEDIA CONSOLIDATION IN THE US
Turner’s ire was not restricted to Fox News alone however. During his speech at the convention, he also hit out against media consolidation in the US. “The consolidation has made it almost impossible for an independent. It’s virtually impossible to start a cable network. Broadcasters and programmers don’t want more independent voices out there. They own everything. That is why I went into the restaurant business. Either that or I’d work for a salary for one of the big jerks.”
He also stressed on the need for American news channels to go beyond the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. “We need to be well informed. We need to know what’s going on in the world. We need a little less Hollywood news and a little more hard news. This would probably be good for our society.”
Meanwhile responding to Turner, a Fox News spokesperson said, “Ted is understandably bitter having lost his ratings, his network and now his mind. We wish him well.”
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.
