Network18 Media & Investments Ltd reported a 9.4 percent year-on-year increase in consolidated operating revenue to Rs. 545 crore in the September quarter of FY27, compared with Rs. 498 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. The company recorded its fifth consecutive quarter of revenue growth despite challenging conditions in the advertising market.

According to the company’s press release dated October 30, 2026, consolidated operating EBITDA stood at Rs. 19cr, translating into a margin of 3.4 percent for the quarter, compared with a negative margin of 0.1 percent, or a loss of Rs. 0.5cr, in the year-ago period.

The company said its performance came amid a decline of approximately 13 percent in advertising inventory consumption across the news genre. Corporate advertising spends continued to face pressure due to the West Asia conflict, a weak monsoon and the suspension of television ratings data. However, demand for government-linked advertising, including campaigns by central and state governments, public sector undertakings and political parties, remained strong for the second consecutive quarter.

Network18 said revenue growth was primarily driven by its content studio subsidiary, while advertising growth remained subdued. Connected TV continued to emerge as a strong revenue stream, recording robust growth during the quarter. The company added that its diversified business and strong positions across markets helped it sustain revenue momentum despite the challenging industry environment.

For the first half of FY27, consolidated revenue increased 10 percent to Rs. 1,061 crore from Rs. 966 crore in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. The company’s EBITDA margin for the first half stood at 2. percent.

Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman of Network18, said the company delivered a resilient operating performance despite a challenging and changing macroeconomic environment. He said the company remained focused on strengthening its core offerings, improving audience engagement and driving execution across its businesses. He added that progress across key operating metrics reflected the strength of its strategy, brands and teams, while its expanding digital presence and disciplined approach to growth positioned it to capitalise on emerging opportunities and create long-term value for stakeholders.

Digital network records strong audience engagement

Network18 said it retained its position as India’s largest digital news network, reaching approximately 330 million monthly users. The company also maintained a strong lead on YouTube, generating more than twice the video views of its nearest competitor during the quarter.

The network recorded over 15 billion YouTube video views, representing 17 percent year-on-year growth. Its combined video views on Facebook, another major third-party platform, grew 30 percent year-on-year, reflecting increased consumption of social video content. Network18’s total social media following crossed 470 million, underlining the scale of its digital reach.

News18 India, CNN-News18, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz retained their leading positions in their respective YouTube categories throughout the quarter, while eight regional brands also maintained leadership in their respective markets.

Connected TV engagement grew 27 percent year-on-year, with Network18 channels leading in average concurrent prime-time viewership across multiple channels, according to the company.

Moneycontrol strengthens financial news leadership

Moneycontrol continued to lead the financial news segment, with its paid subscription service, Moneycontrol Pro, crossing one million subscribers. The platform recorded more than three times the time spent and page views of its nearest competitor, highlighting its strong audience engagement.

During the quarter, Moneycontrol introduced Corp Lens, a feature providing access to the financial information of unlisted companies. It also launched Stock Note, which allows users to record their observations on individual stock pages.

The company’s subscription offerings, Moneycontrol Pro and Moneycontrol Super Pro, continued to gain traction, with Moneycontrol Pro retaining its position as the most-subscribed financial news platform, according to Network18.

Moneycontrol’s fintech business also maintained momentum, with both secured and unsecured lending recording strong growth. The company attributed the performance to expanded partnerships, improvements in its conversion funnel and stronger organic customer acquisition.

News18.com, Firstpost expand digital offerings

News18.com recorded a 7 percent sequential increase in unique users, accompanied by stronger engagement. The platform introduced a dedicated section for tracking the 2026 Commonwealth and Asian Games, offering live updates, medal tallies and interactive coverage.

The platform also introduced autoplay video previews for homepage stories, helping improve content engagement and click-through rates. AI-powered features, including FAQs, topic timelines and data visualisations across articles, were added to enhance the user experience and encourage greater news consumption.

Network18 also revived Compare India as a consumer discovery platform, enabling users to find the latest products. Its integration with e-commerce platforms added a monetisation opportunity, while hyperlocal coverage through Local18 contributed nearly a quarter of the platform’s overall traffic.

Firstpost continued to focus on global affairs through an Indian perspective, building a strong audience on YouTube with its subscriber count approaching 10 million. The platform ranked second globally in the live news segment and fourth in total YouTube views, according to the company.

Firstpost’s social media ecosystem generated more than 700 million views, supported by a subscriber base of 21.5 million. The platform also expanded its content offerings with ‘The Revolutionary’, a YouTube series exploring the legacies of influential historical figures, and Flaunt, an editorial section covering luxury segments such as travel, automobiles, watches, lifestyle and home interiors.

Television business maintains strong position

Network18 said television ratings data had remained suspended for more than six months for the news genre and over three months for other genres. Before the suspension, the company said it was India’s leading television news network.

Its portfolio of 20 news channels was the largest in the country, with an all-India viewership share of 13.8 percent and a monthly reach of 230 million people, 35 percent higher than its nearest competitor.

The company also highlighted the positions held by its key channels before the ratings suspension. CNBC-TV18 was the leading business news channel, with a 63.3 percent or higher share, while News18 India held a 12.8 percent share in Hindi news and CNN-News18 recorded a 36 percent share in English news.

Network18 also reported strong positions in regional markets, including Marathi, Kannada and West Bengal, along with leadership in several Hindi-speaking regional markets.

Despite pressure on advertising and the continued suspension of television ratings, Network18’s fifth consecutive quarter of revenue growth and stronger EBITDA performance reflect the contribution of its diversified operations. Its digital platforms, subscription offerings and emerging Connected TV business remain important parts of its strategy as the company navigates a challenging media environment.