22 Facts About Network18

Network18 is the holding company of TV18 Broadcast, Web18 Software Services, Network18 Publishing and Capital18.

Network18 had remained inactive without any clear prospects until it was later acquired by the promoters of Television Eighteen India Limited.

Network18 was in the middle of preparations to launch a Hindi business news channel but could no longer meet regulatory guidelines.

Haresh Chawla, the CEO of TEIL and Network18 was instrumental in both convincing Sardesai to quit and Bahl to take on NDTV as their competition.

Network18 was converted into a public limited company in 2006, and listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange in 2007.

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Network18 had entered into a distribution joint venture with the Sun Network called Sun18.

Network18 had made optimistic projections for years but after 2011, it came to face a possible financial collapse and loss of control for its managing director Raghav Bahl.

RIL forced Network18 to buy its stakeholding in ETV Network for a sum of 2,100 crore without which the net sum would have been for a much smaller amount.

In 2013, Network18 had become debt free, and RIL's investment had led to assumptions that it would not initiate any further cost cutting measures.

The executives of Network18 were eager to repay the loan to RIL and get rid of Ambani's influence over the company.

Network18 rejected the offer and on 27 May 2014, announced in midst of a routine meeting with his board of directors that he was going to resign as RIL wanted to takeover and nothing could be done about it.

Network18 was appointed as the manager of the company for the interim period since Bahl had resigned as well.

Between 2014 and 2016, Network18 attempted to expand into regional markets of the news broadcasting sector with a spate of new channels, which was seen with apprehension among media observers.

In 2016, Network18 undertook a rebranding operation, the IBN brand was phased out and replaced with News18, channels such as CNN IBN renamed to CNN-News18, and IBN7 renamed to News18 India, among others.

Network18 was one of the organisations featured, and the sting displayed positive responses from senior marketing executives of the company to a proposition of entering into an agreement for undisclosed paid news to promote Hindutva political propaganda.

In 2019, Network18 initiated heavy cost cutting measures, increments and new hires were frozen while budgets for employing freelancers were greatly reduced.

Network18 was appointed as the CEO of TV18 in 1999, having formerly worked at Times Music and Amitabh Bachchan Corporation.

Network18 resigned from the company in November 2011 before Network18 entered into a deal with Reliance Industries, publicly stating that he wanted nothing to with the Ambanis.

Network18 remained associated with the company to oversee the transition, and became the manager in the interim period.

General news channel CNN-News18 is operated by TV18 for which Network18 has a brand and content licensing agreement with CNN Worldwide.

IndiaCast Media, the distribution arm of the Network18 Group is a 50:50 joint venture between Viacom18 Media and TV18 Broadcast, which provides domestic and international distribution services for the company.

Network18 Publishing is the publishing house of the group and publishes a number of business directories, and B2C and B2B magazines.