Network18 Reports 7% Revenue Growth in News Business, Plans Full Acquisition of News18 Lokmat

Network18 Media & Investments, India's largest TV news network, has reported a 7% year-on-year increase in operating revenue from its News business for the September quarter, reaching ₹477 crore. The company's performance highlights its resilience in a challenging advertising environment, with the broader TV News industry experiencing a 7% decline in inventory demand.

Financial Highlights

• Operating EBITDA grew by over 5% to ₹7.40 crore
• Operating margins remained steady at 1.50%
• For the first half of the fiscal year, revenue growth was relatively flat year-on-year

Market Leadership

Network18 continues to dominate key segments of the Indian news market:

• CNBC-TV18 leads in business news with a 67.80% market share
• News18 India commands a 13.10% share in Hindi news
• CNN-News18 tops the English news segment with a 36.70% share

The company's overall viewership share increased by 220 basis points, primarily driven by growth in regional markets.

Digital Expansion

Network18's digital presence remains robust:

• The company's YouTube channels generated over 13 billion views during the quarter, exceeding its nearest competitor by three times
• Network18 was ranked as the #2 reach digital news/information network in terms of Total Digital Population, with 270 million monthly users

Strategic Acquisition

Network18 announced plans to acquire the remaining 50% stake in News18 Lokmat for ₹25 crore. This acquisition will make News18 Lokmat, the leader in the Marathi news market, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Network18.

Future Outlook

Network18 is focusing on new growth levers, including:

• Moneycontrol Fintech
• Creator18
• Firstpost

These initiatives aim to expand Network18's presence in the digital ecosystem and diversify its revenue streams beyond traditional advertising.

Mr. Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman of Network18, stated, "Acquisition of balance stake in News18 Lokmat further strengthens our market-leading portfolio of national and regional news channels. Our mission is to be the one-stop news destination for audiences around the country, and this is another step in that direction."

As Network18 continues to strengthen its position across multiple platforms and languages, it appears well-positioned to capitalize on the evolving media landscape in India.