News Broadcasting
CNN-IBN & IBN7 launch Open Mike on 10th March
MUMBAI: With the announcement of General Elections 2014, the spotlight is now on the voters who will play an important role in the entire process. In an effort to provide a platform to them on what they think about various socio-political issues and how they want to get them addressed, CNN-IBN & IBN7 are launching a unique initiative called Open Mike on 10th March, 2014. This one-of-its-kind initiative will give the common citizens an opportunity to voice their concerns, grievances, opinions and expectations from the upcoming General Elections at a scale that has never been seen before.
Everyday a question revolving around the key political issues, opinions and policies will be put on–air as well as on the network’s various online and social media properties. ‘Open Mike’ will travel across pre-selected locations in 17 major cities across the country and capture bytes from people on the said question. Selected responses will be aired as special segments in the newswheel throughout the day on both the channels. In addition to this, a special half-hour show will also go on-air Mon-Thu at 10:30pm on CNN-IBN. Viewers would also be able to submit their videos, responses on the channel’s various web and social media interfaces.
Speaking on the launch of this initiative, Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, IBN Network, said, “CNN-IBN and IBN7 have always followed a legacy of inclusive journalism. Taking this legacy forward at a very significant time in India, we have come up with the initiative ‘Open Mike’ to enable our common citizens to fully exercise their right to express their views and expectations from the government and help shape the future of our country.”
Don’t miss this special starting from Monday, March 10th only on CNN-IBN & IBN7.
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.
