The company reported a net loss of 29.09 crore in the January-March quarter a year ago, according to a regulatory filing by Network18 Media, a subsidiary of billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd.
Its consolidated revenue from operations rose by 9.7 per cent to Rs 615.78 crore in the March quarter compared to Rs 561.32 crore in the corresponding quarter in the last fiscal.
Consolidated operating revenue for the quarter increased by 9.7 per cent “despite the multiple headwinds in the macro environment. On a QoQ basis, the revenue grew 14.2 per cent,” said Network18 Media & Investments in its earnings statement.
Advertising inventory demand for the TV news industry declined by 10 per cent YoY, but Network18’s inventory grew 4.5 per cent, helping the company perform better than the industry.
“Company’s diversified portfolio, strong market positions across markets, and revenue from new businesses helped soften the impact of a weak advertising environment,” it said.
EBITDA for the quarter was Rs 30 crore with a margin of 4.9 per cent, it added.Its total expenses were at Rs 670.89 crore, up 6.47 per cent in the March quarter.
Network18 Media’s total consolidated income, which includes other income, was at Rs 616.21 crore, up 9.14 per cent in Q4 of FY26.
On a standalone basis, Network18’s loss widened to Rs 72.51 crore in the March quarter compared to a loss of Rs 69.48 crore in the corresponding quarter of the last fiscal. Revenue from operations rose by 4.85 per cent year-on-year to Rs 547.07 crore in the March quarter.
For the entire FY26, Network18 Media & Investments’ profit was at Rs 155.20 crore. Consolidated income was at Rs 2,148.46 crore for the financial year ended on March 31, 2026.
“Excluding the first quarter, which had a decline in revenue due to a high base of election-linked advertising in the previous fiscal, revenue was up 7 per cent. Operating costs grew in line with revenue, resulting in flat EBITDA,” it said.
According to the company, its “figures for the corresponding previous year are not comparable” as Indiacast Media Distribution and Studio 18 Media(Formerly Viacom 18) ceased to be a subsidiary of the Company on 14th November, 2024 and 30th December, 2024, respectively.
Network18 continues to be India’s leading TV news network, with a portfolio of 20 channels (including 14 regional channels), and the largest in terms of reach and viewership.
“The network reached over 2,305 million people a month, 35 per cent higher than the nearest competitor, and had an all-India viewership share of 13.8 per cent,” it said.
It also leads in the digital segment with its platforms – Moneycontrol, News18, Firstpost and CNBCTV18. It has over 360 million monthly users, representing 65 per cent reach in the segment, Network18 said.
Commenting on the results, Chairman Adil Zainulbhai said: “We ended the year on a positive note despite the geopolitical crisis that the world finds itself immersed in currently. In a year marked by high news flow volumes, our network has taken the lead in delivering news over noise, consistently. We are happy with the progress made on the operating front during the year and the impressive scale-up of new businesses in a short time, which is helping us diversify our revenue base.”
The company is focused on strengthening its core news business even as it expands presence in adjacent categories, he added.
