News Broadcasting
News Nation’s ‘Desh Ki Bahas’
In past few weeks there had been a lot of mudslinging across various news channels in their debates shows particularly on the SSR case and if one has to go by public perception, journalism by some renowned news channels are now seeing their ebb, particularly when a matter is sub-judice and under investigation by the highest agency of the country.
However, not every news channel follows the ideology of sensationalism or the policy of “do whatever it takes to get viewership”. One such show is “Desh Ki Bahas” of News Nation anchored by veteran journalist Deepak Chourasia. It stands out as a differentiator because the topic of the show is decided by the public and not influenced by any agenda. Since the launch of the show it has taken up issues like Palghar Mob Lynching, CAA, Ayodhya Ram Mandir, Indo- Chinese tensions, SSR case and various others under a fact based, non-judgemental approach. The debate leaves food for thought for viewers, so that they formulate their own informed conclusions. The tone of the show is set as informative rather than coercive and there had been instances when guests were cut off when they became hyper reactive.
Editorial director of News Nation Network, Mr. Manoj Gairola commented ‘’ the show is for the people and decided by the people, our job is to present fact in an unbiased manner and ask relevant questions, viewership will follow”.
It may be noted that “Desh Ki Bahas” discussion shows have left behind long established debate shows of other channels like Aaj Tak, Zee News, India TV, TV9 Bharatvarsh as per BARC numbers.
Mr. Sanjay Kulshreshtha, MD, News Nation Network said, “As a responsible National news channel our priority is to provide impartial information on every kind of news of public importance be it Bangalore violence or Kozhikode Plane accident or Delhi riots or Assam floods or Rajasthan political crisis, we cannot become views channel as viewers have not mandated us for that”.
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.
