News Broadcasting
India chooses CNBC-TV18 on Budget Day yet again
CNBC-TV18 demolishes all its competition yet again in the business genre with a market share of 79%, almost four times all the competition put together. (Source: BARC | TG: Males 22+ AB | Market: 1 mn+ | Period: 11:00 to 13:00 hours).
Not only was it the leader in the English Business News genre, CNBC-TV18 also emerged on top amongst the English General News channels this Budget, cementing its reputation as India’s Budget headquarters yet again. As per BARC India, during the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s speech, the channel garnered viewership which was higher than all the English Business and English General News channels put together (Source: BARC | TG: Males 22+ AB | Market: All India | Period: 1st Feb’18, 11:00 to 13:00 hours), During the Budget day CNBC-TV18 had higher viewership than all English General News channels put together (Source: BARC | TG: Males 22+ AB | Market: All India | Period: 1st Feb’18, 24 hours) and during the Budget week, greater than Republic TV and Times Now combined. (Source: BARC | TG: Males 22+ AB | Market: All India | Period: Week 05’18)
CNBC-AWAAZ, India’s No.1 Hindi Business News channel, has garnered a record-breaking viewership share of 90% during the Budget Speech this year amongst Hindi Business News channels (Source: BARC TG: 22+ AB Males Market: HSM Period: 1st Feb, 2018 (11:00-13:00), making it a consistent leader on every front. The channel showcases the most detailed coverage of the Union Budget with the biggest experts and analysts and has always been the channel of choice of the viewers due to its exhaustive programming line-up and a strong network of reporters and anchors.
Speaking on the success of CNBC-TV18 and CNBC-AWAAZ’s Budget coverage for yet another straight year, President Network18, Avinash Kaul said, “It is a matter of great pride that both our English & Hindi business news channels have cemented their undisputed leadership in their respective language categories. CNBC-TV18 continues to maintain its dominance and reaffirms the fact that the channel is India’s budget headquarters, yet again. CNBC-AWAAZ, on the other hand, provides news that matters the most to the masses, in the language of the masses. The figures stand testament to the outstanding performance recorded by both channels of being number one in their respective Business news categories, while CNBC-TV18 has topped the ratings in the General news category as well. The news channels stand out for their unmatched reporting quality and standards, compelling content and stellar marketing activities.”
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.
