News Broadcasting
PM Modi Virtually Inaugurates Celebrations Of Mathrubhumi
The year-long centenary celebrations of the Mathrubhumi, one of the largest media houses in India, will be inaugurated online by the Shri. Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister on March 18 {Friday}. It will be held in Kozhikode, Kerala.
M V Shreyams Kumar, Managing Director, said, “Completing a century of successful existence is a historic milestone in the life of a corporate institution. This momentous landmark became possible only because of the tremendous goodwill shown to us by all our business partners, trade, and industry. We seek their continued patronage and support in future too. In the evolution from letterpress to the wonders of digital technology, we have kept abreast of change. This is reflected in our presence online and on-air, in both television and radio.”
P V Chandran, Chairman and Managing Editor had this to say: “This is the beginning of a new era in our journalistic voyage. Championing the immutable values of truth, equality, liberty and social justice, our history is intertwined with that of modern Kerala. Thus, we were instrumental in unifying our home state through a relentless campaign. Our extended family of employees, readers, listening and viewing audiences, newspaper agents and channel distributors is a microcosm of the media ecosystem here.”
“Mathrubhumi successfully straddles tradition and technology having embraced the change from 1923 to the age of disruption. Conceived in the womb of the independence movement, we witnessed history in the making – the birth of India. Mahatmaji visited our Head Office on January 13, 1934, after unveiling the portrait of our founding-Managing Director, K Madhavan Nair in Kozhikode Town Hall. Our other nationalist founder-directors too were champions of social reforms. The flames of this legacy were kept alive by our cherished late Chairman and Managing Director, M P Veerendra Kumar, who as a veteran socialist and writer dominated the socio-cultural landscape of Malayalam for more than five decades.”, P V Chandran also added.
Mathrubhumi enriches Malayalee lives with 15 editions, books division and 11 periodicals. Club FM and Kappa youth channel have ignited Keralite auditory and visual imaginations. While Mathrubhumi News is on air 24×7, Mathrubhumi Online serves curated content. CSR initiative Student Empowerment for Environmental Development {SEED} sensitises the young on the looming climate crisis and global heating.
Mathrubhumi Literary Award comprising re. 2 lakh, statuette, plaque and a certificate is coveted by Malayalee writers. While the Mathrubhumi calendar and almanac are cultural markers, the Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters, brings the best of global intellects together on a platform for debate and dissent.
Mathrubhumi has undertaken relief work in times of natural disasters, from the earthquake at Bhuj, Gujarat in 2001, the 2015 Chennai Floods, the August 2018 deluge in Kerala and the subsequent Nipah outbreak in Kozhikode. Grihalakshmi Vedi and Mathrubhumi Study Circle are engaged in humanitarian work.
Various activities are being planned for the duration of the entire year culminating in a grand finale on March 18, 2023.
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.
