News Broadcasting
CNBC-TV18 commences the 15th year of India Business Leader Awards, launches ‘Leadership Collective’
MUMBAI: Celebrating 20 years of its excellence, CNBC-TV18, India leading business news channel gears up for its 15th edition of ‘India Business Leaders Awards’ with the launch of ‘Leadership Collective’ in Bangalore on 11th December 2019. To identify the transformation of the ever-evolving industries of the Indian economy and markets, the channel invited eminent industry veterans to throw light on the pertinent issues and challenges that would arise in meeting the ambitious $5 trillion economy.
The invite only exclusive gathering saw Industry heads congregate to deliberate on the current state of the economy. The show was launched by a candid keynote address by India’s leading woman entrepreneur, Kiran Majumdar Shaw, chairperson & MD, Biocon. Kiran raised some pertinent questions on gender inequality across industries, be it urban or rural and how it’s about time women get more voice, freedom and independence amongst their peers.
The keynote paved way for the larger thematic for the evening, the panel on “Mind the Gap: Going for equitable Growth”. The panel saw a blend of experts comprising Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath; Standard Chartered CEO Zarin Daruwala; Biocon MD and chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw; Enable India founder & chief enabler Shanti Raghavan; Daily Dump founder Poonam Bir Katuri; & Mentor together founder and CEO Arundhati Gupta.
Zarin Daruwala commented on Technology’s role in propelling the BFSI sector, better channeling resources and role of analytics in assessing credit-worthiness of applicants. Shanti Raghavan emphasised on the need to empower the specially abled populace of the country and make them contributors in the quest for enhanced economic development. Poonam Bir spoke about the need for environmental consciousness, changing the fundamental DNA of people’s apathy towards the earth’s finite resources. Nithin threw light on how entrepreneurial spirit in the country is being encouraged by regulatory bodies such as RBI & SEBI. On a light hearted note Arundhati Gupta stressed the fact that role models among younger women need to change, and be more aspirational for a forward thinking millennia.
Summarizing the stimulating discussion, Shereen left everyone with relevant thoughts around Gender inclusion, Disability inclusion, Environmental sensitivity, viewing them with an impartial lens, as they pose a challenge as well as an opportunity that could put India back on the growth trajectory.
The India Business Leaders Awards will be scheduled sometime around January 2020, felicitating disruptors and visionaries who have led the nation and the industry towards continuous growth and success.
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.
