Network18 Media & Investments Limited reported a steady rise in revenue for the March quarter, managing to outperform a weak advertising environment for the TV news industry on the back of strong market positions and growth in new business verticals.

According to an Network18 press release, the company posted consolidated operating revenue of Rs 616 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, marking a 9.7 percent year-on-year increase and a 14.2 percent sequential rise. The performance comes at a time when macroeconomic pressures and muted ad demand have weighed on most broadcasters.

Operating expenses for the quarter stood at Rs 585 crore, up 8 percent year-on-year, while consolidated operating EBITDA rose sharply to Rs 30 crore from Rs 19 crore in the year-ago period. On a sequential basis, EBITDA more than doubled, translating into an improved margin of 4.9 percent compared to 1.8 percent in the previous quarter.

For the full financial year FY26, Network18 reported consolidated operating revenue of Rs 2,121 crore, reflecting a 4.7 percent growth over FY25. The company noted that excluding the first quarter—impacted by a high base due to election-related advertising last year—revenue growth stood stronger at around 7 percent.

In a challenging industry backdrop, Network18 stood out with TV ad inventory consumption rising 4.5 percent year-on-year, even as the broader market declined by over 10 percent. This relative outperformance was attributed to its strong channel portfolio and leadership across key segments.

The quarter also saw the network leveraging its events business, hosting flagship properties such as ‘Rising Bharat’, ‘Indian Business Leadership Awards’, ‘Global Wealth Summit’ and ‘Forbes India Leadership Awards’, which contributed to diversifying revenue streams beyond traditional advertising.

Network18 maintained its leadership in the news genre, with TV viewership share increasing by 50 basis points year-on-year to 13.8 percent. On the digital front, it continued to dominate as India’s largest news and information network, reaching over 350 million users every month. Its YouTube presence also expanded significantly, with video views growing 90 percent year-on-year—twice the pace of its nearest competitor.
New initiatives, including Moneycontrol’s fintech business and Creator18, scaled up meaningfully during the year, both operationally and financially, supporting the company’s push towards building diversified revenue engines.

Commenting on the performance, Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman of Network18, said the company ended the year on a positive note despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainties. He highlighted that the network continued to focus on delivering credible journalism while also expanding into adjacent growth categories.

Network18 retained leadership across several key TV segments, with CNBC-TV18 leading the business news category, News18 India topping the Hindi news space, and CNN-News18 maintaining its dominance in English news. The network also performed strongly in regional markets, particularly in Marathi, Kannada and West Bengal, along with a solid presence across Hindi-speaking regions.

The company, which operates one of India’s largest omni-channel news networks, continues to expand its footprint across television and digital platforms, while strengthening its position in emerging areas such as creator-led content and fintech-driven information services.