Network18 Sees 9.7% Revenue Growth in Q4, Operating Profit Reaches Rs 30 Crore

Network18 Media and Investments Ltd Reports Strong Revenue Growth in Q4

Network18 Media and Investments Ltd, a leading Indian media conglomerate, reported a significant increase in revenue growth in the March quarter despite a weak advertising market for television news. According to a statement released by the company on April 18, consolidated operating revenue rose 9.7 percent from a year earlier to Rs 616 crore in the fiscal fourth quarter.

This growth was driven by gains in viewership, digital scale, and newer businesses, which helped cushion the impact of the industry slowdown. The company's operating profit jumped to Rs 30 crore from Rs 19 crore in the year-earlier period, while operating margin expanded to 4.9 percent in the three months ended March 31 from 3.4 percent in the year-earlier period.

Notably, the company outperformed the industry despite a decline in overall TV news advertising demand, which fell by more than 10 percent in the quarter. Network18's ad inventory consumption, however, rose 4.5 percent, contributing to its strong performance.

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Revenue Growth Across Segments

For the full year, revenue grew 4.7 percent to Rs 2,121 crore, with growth impacted by a high base of election-linked advertising in the previous year. Excluding the first quarter, revenue rose about 7 percent.

Adil Zainulbhai, chairman of Network18, expressed satisfaction with the company's performance, citing its focus on delivering "news over noise" in a year marked by heavy news flow. He also highlighted the company's efforts to diversify its revenue base through the scale-up of new businesses.

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Leadership Position Retained

Network18 retained its leadership across both television and digital news. Its TV network, spanning 20 channels, remained the largest in the country with a 13.8 percent viewership share. The company reached more than 230 million people a month, 35 percent higher than the nearest rival.

In the digital space, Network18 continued to be the leader in key markets, with CNBC-TV18 leading the business news segment with a 63.3 percent share, News18 India topping Hindi news with a 12.8 percent share, and CNN-News18 leading English news with a 36 percent share.

On digital, Network18 retained its position as India's largest digital news network, reaching more than 360 million monthly users, including on social platforms. The company also maintained a clear lead on YouTube, with 17.5 billion video views during the March quarter, more than twice that of its nearest competitor during the year.

Digital Portfolio Expansion

Network18's digital portfolio, including Moneycontrol, News18, Firstpost, and CNBCTV18, spans formats and languages. Moneycontrol, a key part of the portfolio, combined high engagement with a growing subscription and financial services business. The platform has over 1 million paid subscribers for its premium offering and reports more than twice the time spent of its nearest rival.

Moneycontrol expanded its offering with features such as earnings forecasts, while its newer Super Pro subscription tier is receiving an overwhelming response from investors seeking expert advice. Alongside content, the fintech business maintained strong momentum during the quarter, bolstered by the addition of new lenders.

The company also launched secured lending products such as gold loans and loans against mutual funds, expanding its addressable market. Elsewhere, News18.com improved engagement by 6 percent, driven by product upgrades including AI-led search, automated cricket coverage, and expanded gaming offerings. Its in-house gaming portfolio now has more than 20 games.

Firstpost continued to build an international audience, delivering more than 550 million YouTube views in the quarter, nearly 60 percent from outside India. Creator18 scaled its network in the quarter, building a roster of over 60 exclusive and more than 1,000 non-exclusive creators to offer expanded social media solutions to advertisers.

CNBC-TV18 unveiled a refreshed brand identity during the quarter, signalling its transition to a digital-first, multi-platform future while reinforcing its position in business news.