News Broadcasting
Republic Media Network concludes first ‘India Economic Summit’
Mumbai: Republic Media Network concluded the first edition of ‘India Economic Summit 2021’ on 26 November.
The event put a spotlight on contemporary economic issues and was attended by union ministers, policymakers, corporate honchos, economists and business leaders at the Taj Palace in New Delhi. The summit was hosted by veteran news anchor Rini Simon Khanna.
In his address at the summit, Republic Media Network’s editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami stated that India must not be the marketplace of the world. “We must be the hub of production, the hub of digitisation, the hub of technology, the hub of risk-takers, and the hub of innovation,” he said.
Union minister of road transport and highway Nitin Gadkari, union minister of commerce and industry, consumer affairs, food and public distribution and textiles Piyush Goyal, union minister of petroleum and natural gas and housing and urban affairs Hardeep Singh Puri, union minister of women and child development Smriti Irani and union minister of state for entrepreneurship, skill development, electronics and technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar addressed the summit. Leading business personalities like Marico’s Harsh Mariwala, Bharat Biotech’s Dr Krishna M Ella shared their views on the Indian economy.
One of the highlights of the event was the session on ‘India’s Role in the Global Economy’ presented virtually by reputed global economist and New York University’s Stern School of Business Dr Nouriel Roubini.
“The massive success and gripping ideation sessions at The India Economic Summit 2021 prove beyond doubt that India’s economy is all geared up for greatness,” said Republic Media Network editor-in-chief, Arnab Goswami. “The first edition of the Summit has infused audiences across the world with confidence that India is a superpower in the making. And it gives me great joy that amidst it all, Republic is poised to lead and expand into new horizons with a massive digital operation.”
The ‘India Economic Summit 2021’ took place on the back of India rebounding from the pandemic with stellar projections. As the RBI as well as the IMF, estimate the Indian GDP to grow 9.5 per cent making it the fastest-growing economy in the world, the summit was a platform to ideate on the trajectory ahead.
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.
