News Broadcasting
News18 India Unveils Two New Shows- “Ye Desh Hai Humara” and “Akhada”
MUMBAI: Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in 5 states including MP & Rajasthan and general elections next year, News18 India has launched two new shows – Ye Desh Hai Humara and Akhada. Anchored by Amish Devgan, and Anand Narasimhan, respectively, the new shows are aimed at further strengthening the channel’s programming line-up to raise and address critical issues in the election season.
Ye Desh Hai Humara (Every Sunday at 5:45 PM) is a weekend audience-based debate show anchored by Amish Devgan. The show, at its core, is a fierce contest between two ideologies. It seeks viewpoints of the political leaders on the burning issues for the benefit of the society and the nation. The show also offers an opportunity for the viewers to voice their opinions & concerns.
Akhada (Monday to Friday at 12:45 PM), a news bulletin, kicks off the weekday afternoon primetime on the channel. Through the show, Anand not only covers top stories of the day from across the country, but also presents a face-off between the relevant political parties on key issues.
Breaking away from the clichéd formats, the new shows are designed for enhanced viewer engagement that raise issues important to the society. While Amish Devgan, one of the most popular names in Hindi journalism, does not shy away from taking positions on matters that impact the viewers directly; Anand Narasimhan, a seasoned journalist with over a decade of experience, brings a fresh approach to news telling in his inimitable style.
Talking about the new shows, Prabal Pratap Singh, Managing Editor, News18 India said, “At News18 India, it is our constant endeavor to provide constructive and unbiased news. The new shows are another great addition to our repertoire of a balanced yet innovative way of news presentation. Both Amish and Anand, in their unique way infuse vigour and momentum with engaging insights and spirited debates.”
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.
