Mumbai: Despite a slowdown in the television advertising market, Network18 Media & Investments has delivered a solid performance in the fourth quarter of the financial year, posting notable gains in both revenue and profitability.
Revenue Climbs Despite Weak Ad Market
The company reported a consolidated operating revenue of ₹616 crore in Q4, marking a 9.7% increase compared to the same period last year. On a sequential basis, revenue rose 14.2% from ₹539 crore recorded in the December quarter, highlighting steady momentum.
Profitability Shows Improvement
Network18 also saw a significant improvement in its operating profitability. EBITDA for the quarter rose to ₹30 crore, up from ₹19 crore in the year-ago period and ₹10 crore in the previous quarter. The EBITDA margin improved to 4.9%, compared to 3.4% last year and 1.8% in the December quarter.
Full-Year Performance Remains Stable
For the full financial year, the company’s consolidated operating revenue grew 4.7% to ₹2,121 crore, up from ₹2,026 crore in the previous year. However, annual EBITDA remained largely unchanged at around ₹44 crore.According to the company, excluding the high base created by election-driven advertising in the first quarter, the adjusted annual growth stands closer to 7%.
Outperforming a Challenging Market
Even as the overall TV advertising market witnessed a decline of over 10%, Network18 managed to outperform the industry. Its TV ad inventory consumption grew by 4.5%, signaling stronger demand relative to peers.
The company credited this resilience to its diverse channel portfolio and flagship events such as Rising Bharat, Indian Business Leadership Awards, Global Wealth Summit, and Forbes India Leadership Awards.
Digital Platforms Drive Growth
Network18’s digital business also continued to expand rapidly. Its digital network reached over 350 million monthly users, while YouTube video views surged by 90% year-on-year—significantly ahead of competitors.
New Businesses Add Momentum
Emerging ventures like Moneycontrol Fintech and Creator18 contributed to revenue diversification and growth. Meanwhile, established channels such as CNBC-TV18, News18 India, and CNN-News18 maintained their leadership positions.The company also reported strong traction in regional markets, including Maharashtra, Karnataka, and West Bengal.
Outlook Remains Positive
Chairman Adil Zainulbhai stated that the company has ended the year on a positive note and will continue to focus on strengthening its core news operations while expanding into new business segments.