News Broadcasting
Network18 announces Media Institute Initiative (MII)
MUMBAI: News channels CNN-IBN and IBN7 have planned to launch a Media Institute Initiative (MII) that will engage media schools in the country and abroad through a structured and collaborative approach aimed at unleashing the potential of the youth. Initiative aims to deepen the industry – academia engagement in the media space through seminars, internships, guest lectures and other interventions for sectoral capability enhancement.
Speaking on the MII, Network18 president news Umesh Upadhyay said, “We are really happy to launch the Media Institute Initiative that will engage the industry, the youth and the sharpest academic minds on an on-going basis. The cross-pollination of ideas and talent will create unparalleled opportunities and ideas that will have the potential to define the media landscape of the future.”
Under this initiative, the first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is being signed with the Kushabhau Thakre Patrakarita Avam Jansanchar Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur in the presence of Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh. The MOU will be signed between Network18 president news Umesh Upadhyay, and Kushabhau Thakre Patrakarita Avam Jansanchar Vishwavidyalaya vice chancellor Sachchidanand Joshi on 30 January 2015 in Raipur. IBN7 deputy managing editor Sumit Awasthi will address the aspiring media professionals in the city.
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.
