News Broadcasting
News18 India’s Bhaiyaji Kahin Travels to MP, Rajasthan & Chhattisgarh
MUMBAI: Just ahead of the 2019 General Election, elections in MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram are being billed as a litmus test for various political parties which will set the tone for the national elections next year. Amidst all the high crescendo campaigning for these critical state elections, News18 India’s much acclaimed show “Bhaiyaji Kahin” will travel to Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh to capture on-ground realities and voters’ views on pressing issues that they face. A travelogue-cum-chaupal, the innovative show is designed to bring together people, leaders and opinion leaders together for a meaningful debate.
The show anchored by Prateek Trivedi, Bhaiyaji Kahin had visited these states earlier as well with a view to understand people’s perception and expectations. At the time the show had held discussions on key issues including inflation, farmer suicides, corruption, incumbency, united opposition, voting on caste basis, to name a few. This time around, it aims to cover additional cities with in-depth and extensive reportage on various voter priorities in the immediate lead up to the elections. Starting from 29th bOctober, the show will travel to Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg in Chhattisgarh; Bharatpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Alwar, Jaipur, Bikaner etc. in Rajasthan and Gwalior, Jabalpur, Sagar, Damoh, Satna etc. in Madhya Pradesh. As always it will in its own unique style capture street side conversations which will not only allow the common voters to have a say but will also give a ring side view of voter aspirations.
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.
