News Broadcasting
TV18 partners with Forbes to launch biz magazine in India
MUMBAI: Television18, a group company of Network18, has entered into a partnership with Forbes Media to launch a business magazine in India.
The partnership will include a content licensing arrangement and will also envisage introduction of other Forbes products, subject to regulatory approval.
Plans are on to launch the magazine in early 2008. Network18 MD Raghav Bahl said, “Our partnership with Forbes for a business magazine in India is another compelling testimony to the growing acceptance of the Indian growth story worldwide. We will be strongly positioned to deliver a benchmark offering in the market by fusing the strong editorial and brand lineage of Forbes and our expertise in the Indian business media market.”
Adds Forbes chairman, CEO and editor-in-chief Steve Forbes:”India is one of the prime markets Forbes has wanted to enter for sometime. We were waiting for the right partner and are so pleased that we have reached a partnership agreement with Network18. We look forward to making Forbes available to this forceful market soon.”
TV18 on Tuesday announced acquisition of special interest and business categories publisher Infomedia India.
The partnership with Forbes will bring in strengths in the print space and will synergize with TV18’s television and new media properties. Currently, TV18 operates India’s leading business channels CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, besides Newswire18 and a host of web properties like moneycontrol.com.
Network18 group CEO Haresh Chawla said, “Forbes is an ideal partner for us as we expand our competencies into the print medium and thus strengthen our position as one of India’s leading full play media conglomerates. India’s readership potential is yet to be fully tapped and as the market evolves, credible and strong brands will succeed in the print space. We see a lot of opportunity for value creation in this partnership by unleashing cross platform synergies and developing a roster of market leading offerings in the coming years. The addition of Forbes will further energize our business portfolio which already commands leadership through CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz, Newswire18 and web offerings such as moneycontrol.com, indiaearnings.com.”
In recent years, Forbes magazine has increased its international presence with titles such as Forbes Asia and licensed local language editions such as Forbes China, Forbes Russia, Forbes Arabia amongst others.
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.
