News Broadcasting
TV9 Network to host second News9 Global Summit in Stuttgart to power Indo-German ties
MUMBAI: If diplomacy had a passport, it would likely be stamped in Stuttgart this October. TV9 Network is flying its flagship summit back to Europe, announcing the second edition of the News9 Global Summit to be held in Stuttgart, Germany, from 8-10 October 2025. The event celebrates 25 years of the Indo-German partnership and marks a decade of strategic state-level cooperation between Maharashtra and Baden-Württemberg.
At a press conference in Noida, TV9 Network MD & CEO Barun Das joined Baden-Württemberg sate secretary Florian Hassler and VfB Stuttgart 1893 AG chief marketing & sales officer Rouven Kasper to officially unveil the summit’s second act. With a theme rooted in cooperation over competition, the summit aims to spark robust discussions around democracy, sustainable development, and cross-border innovation.
“The second edition of the News9 Global Summit is a bridge between two innovation-driven democracies”, said Das. “India and Germany fit each other like a jigsaw puzzle. India brings scale, a tech-savvy workforce, and demand, while Germany contributes technology and precision”.
Das stressed that collaboration, not conquest, is the need of the hour. “We don’t have to win at the loss of somebody else”, he said, highlighting the potential for both nations to chart a shared growth trajectory.
The summit will bring together leaders from politics, academia, and business for three days of candid conversation on the future of democracy, trade, development, and global cooperation. Special attention will be given to the unique bond between Maharashtra and Baden-Württemberg, showcasing how sub-national partnerships can fuel international diplomacy.
“As we celebrate 25 years of Indo-German partnership, Baden-Württemberg is proud to host the News9 Global Summit”, Hassler noted. “This platform strengthens our ties with India, fosters innovation, and promotes democratic dialogue”.
Kasper, who saw the summit’s inaugural edition strike a chord, expects a sequel worth the build-up. “Last year, the summit was a tremendous success”, he said. “This year, we’re ready to turn up the volume on ideas that matter, with speakers and discussions that go beyond borders”.
The Stuttgart gathering will also spotlight the city’s growing role in global diplomacy. The Summit is designed to be more than just a talking shop – it aims to offer real-world solutions on sustainability, trade, technology and people-to-people connections.
TV9 Network, known for its expansive regional footprint, is also using the occasion to reinforce India’s robust and plural media ecosystem, a point Das proudly acknowledged.
As geopolitics evolves at breakneck speed, the 2025 edition of the News9 Global Summit positions itself not just as a celebration of the past but as a compass for the future.
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.
