News Broadcasting
TV9 brings News9 Global Summit to Dubai, bridging business with Hindi cinema
MUMBAI: As cricket fans mourn India’s latest middle-order collapse and the mercury soars in Noida, TV9 Network is setting its sights westward with diplomatic flair and some celebrity swagger. The media giant has officially launched the second international edition of its News9 Global Summit, and this time it’s Dubai that will host the event, themed ‘India-UAE: Partnership for Prosperity and Progress’.
Set to take place on 19 June 2025 at the Taj Dubai, the summit promises a medley of cross-border policy, economic dialogue, and cultural exchange. The line-up spans heavyweight bureaucrats, billionaire entrepreneurs, artificial intelligence enthusiasts, and those who like their cameras facing them—Hindi cinema celebrities.
Union minister of Oil and Gas Hardeep Singh Puri will deliver the keynote address, while India’s ambassador to the UAE Sunjay Sudhir will speak on strengthening strategic ties. Spiritual leader Pujya Brahmavihari Swami of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha will delve into the religious bonds bridging the two nations.
The UAE edition follows the summit’s maiden voyage to Stuttgart, Germany in November 2024. With this initiative, TV9 aims to position the News9 Global Summit as a soft power lever that fosters investment, bilateral cooperation, and cultural understanding between India and its key global partners.
“Following the momentum generated by our first Global Summit in Germany, we are excited to bring News9 Global Summit to the UAE, a thriving nation of innovation and commerce. This platform reflects our vision to create meaningful, cross-border partnerships that drive sustainable progress. India and the UAE share a dynamic relationship, and the Summit will be a pivotal space for dialogue and collaboration”, said TV9 Network MD & CEO Barun Das.
The summit’s agenda covers pressing topics such as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the India-middle east-Europe Corridor (IMEC), start-up synergies, tariffs, and AI integration. It will also celebrate cultural harmony, with Indian and Emirati influencers, creators and changemakers lending their voice.
Celebrity firepower will come courtesy of Suniel Shetty, Ektaa Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri, among others, adding Hindi cinema glamour to the policy-packed schedule.
The event is backed by an ensemble of patrons and sponsors. UAE-based Buimerc is the Summit Patron, with De Beers, Tata AIG Insurance, and the National Egg Co-ordination Committee as associate sponsors. Classmate, Hanok, JK Super Cement and Womenpreneur magazine are partners, while SKIL Travels handles logistics. Soil and Sita Vatika are on board as celebration partners. Famous Studios is the entertainment partner, Khaleej Times is the media partner, and the Indian People’s Forum is the official diaspora partner.
Live updates will roll out on @News9Tweets, while the action unfolds across News9 and other TV9 Network channels.
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.
