Network18 Media & Investments Limited delivered strong operational performance in Q3FY26, with revenue growing 5% year-on-year to ₹500.42 crore and margins showing sharp sequential improvement. The company maintained its position as India's top news network while demonstrating enhanced profitability metrics despite challenging advertising conditions.

Standalone Financial Performance Shows Margin Expansion

The company's standalone operations demonstrated significant improvement in profitability metrics with EBITDA showing remarkable sequential growth.

The EBITDA margin expanded 90 basis points quarter-on-quarter to 2.4%, supported by cost efficiencies and improved operating leverage. Despite advertising inventory demand for the TV News industry declining by more than 10% year-on-year, Network18's inventory utilization decline was lower, enabling strong performance backed by market positions.

Nine-Month Performance Reflects Operational Progress

For the nine-month period ended FY26, Network18 reported steady operational progress with improved cost controls driving margin expansion.

The EBITDA margin improvement to 1.7% from 1.5% in the corresponding period reflects gradual strengthening of underlying profitability through enhanced operational efficiency.

Market Leadership Strengthens Across Platforms

Network18 consolidated its dominance in India's news ecosystem with significant gains in viewership share and digital engagement.

The company strengthened leadership across key markets, holding top positions in Hindi, English, Marathi, and Kannada news categories. Network18's portfolio of 20 channels continues as India's largest TV news network.

Strategic Developments and Digital Expansion

Several key strategic initiatives reinforced Network18's market position during the quarter.

The renewed CNN International partnership for 10 years encompasses strategic digital presence covering global markets, reinforcing long-standing editorial alliance. Creator18 vertical expanded significantly with exclusive creator partnerships driving substantial audience reach.

Digital Platform Excellence Continues

Network18's digital ecosystem maintained exceptional performance across platforms. Moneycontrol demonstrated 2x page views and more than 3x time-spent compared to nearest competitor. News18.com enhanced offerings with new features including 'Clip & Share', Quiz/Poll series, 'Audible News', and utility-rich city pages, supporting the company's position as India's largest digital news network on YouTube.

Network 18 Media , India's largest news network, has announced the renewal of its strategic partnership with CNN International for its flagship English news channel, CNN-News18. The brand and content licensing agreement has been extended for another decade, running until December 31, 2035.

Partnership Evolution and Timeline

This renewal marks the third phase of a successful collaboration that spans two decades. The partnership timeline demonstrates sustained growth and commitment between both organizations:

The latest agreement represents the most comprehensive collaboration yet, incorporating significant digital expansion beyond traditional television broadcasting.

Enhanced Digital Strategy

The renewed partnership introduces a strategic digital component designed to reach global audiences. CNN-News18 will expand its digital footprint to international markets through multiple platforms:

• YouTube presence in global markets
• Connected TV (CTV) expansion
• Cross-platform content delivery for seamless viewing experiences
• Digital-ready content production for broadcast and online platforms

Rahul Joshi, Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of Network18 Group, emphasized the significance of this development: "This renewed partnership represents a landmark, one-of-a-kind collaboration in global news. The TV news partnership that has flourished for two decades will now open doors to new avenues of growth, including an expanded presence on digital and connected TV."

Strategic Market Position

The partnership strengthens CNN-News18's position as India's leading English news channel, particularly during major news events and critical news cycles. The channel has recently undergone an on-air refresh featuring enhanced visual aesthetics to improve viewer experience.

Phil Nelson, Executive Vice President of CNN International Commercial, highlighted the partnership's importance: "Having a network of strong affiliate partners has been core to CNN since our very founding in 1980. We are delighted to extend our long-term partnership with Network18 for the continuation of the licensing of the CNN brand and the expansion of one of our largest and most prominent affiliates worldwide."

Infrastructure and Operations

CNN-News18 operates from a state-of-the-art facility in the New Delhi region, supported by nationwide bureaus and Network18's advanced broadcast infrastructure. The channel maintains a comprehensive news-gathering technology system and employs a top-tier editorial and production team.

Network18 plans to increase investments in CNN-News18's digital capabilities, technology infrastructure, and editorial resources to strengthen market leadership and expand reach both domestically and internationally.

About Network18

Network18 operates as India's largest omni-channel news network, encompassing 20 television channels across more than 12 languages and seven digital news platforms in 13 languages. The network includes prominent channels such as CNN-News18, News18 India, CNBC-TV18, and 14 regional channels, along with leading digital properties including News18.com, CNBCTV18.com, and Moneycontrol.com.