News Broadcasting
TV9 Network partners with DistroTV to extend free streaming service worldwide, connecting global viewers to Indian news
Mumbai: DistroTV, one of the largest independent, free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) app, has announced its partnership with TV9 Network, the largest news network in India. This collaboration will enable DistroTV users worldwide to stream TV9 Network’s comprehensive news coverage across its national and regional channels for free. This marks the first time that TV9 Network’s seven live-streaming language channels will be available to a global audience, solidifying this alliance as a game-changer in the world of news streaming.
TV9 Network, promoted by Associated Broadcasting Company Pvt Ltd. (ABCL), operates a national Hindi news channel, TV9 Bharatvarsh, and several regional channels including TV9 Telugu, TV9 Kannada, TV9 Marathi, TV9 Gujarati, TV9 Bangla, and the recently launched News9 Live – A fully integrated digital English news channel. The network has been a leader in the news broadcasting industry and has made significant strides in the digital news space as well.
“We are thrilled to partner with TV9 Network, one of the largest news networks in India that provides authentic and relevant news to its viewers and strives to excel,” said DistroScale (the parent company of DistroTV) CEO & co-founder Navdeep Saini, the parent company of DistroTV. “This partnership will bring the best of Indian news content to our users around the globe, expanding our diverse content line-up with hundreds of channels,” added Saini.
DistroScale India, SEA, and MENA CEO Vikas Khanchandani added, “This collaboration with TV9 Network is a significant milestone in our journey to provide high-quality content to our viewers. It aligns perfectly with our mission to cater to the diverse interests of our global audience and reinforces our commitment to becoming the leading platform for free streaming services worldwide.”
Commenting on the association, TV9 Network chief growth officer Raktim Das said, “Disruption-led leadership has been ingrained into the DNA of TV9 Network over the last three years. With a culture of agile transformation, the Network has consolidated its position as the No.1 News Network of the largest democracy in the world, holding an unbeatable 33 per cent market share. As the audience transitions to CTVs and embraces the ecosystem, we are delighted to partner with DistroTV, whose platform offers our global audience effortless and seamless access to our news content through an array of devices. This partnership perfectly aligns with our unwavering dedication to delivering an unparalleled user experience for our valued viewers.”
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.
