A decade in, Rahul Joshi calls for mission-mode 2026 as Network18 sharpens growth bets

New Delhi: As he completes ten years at Network18, Managing Director Rahul Joshi has asked teams to work in “mission mode” through 2026, as the group sharpens a multi-track growth plan built around creators, subscriptions, transactions and a faster pivot of news brands to GenZ audiences and connected platforms.

In an internal year-end note to employees, Joshi said 2025 was a difficult year for advertising-led media companies, with many news organisations shrinking, losing viewership and ceding revenue share. 

He said Network18 “beat the odds and grown”, and also gained “relevance share” by focusing less on routine coverage and more on content and creator ecosystems.

A key piece of that push, he said, is Creator18, launched this year to widen reach among creators across formats. 

The idea, Joshi wrote, is to give creators a platform to showcase relatable content and, in turn, tap into their audiences. 

He indicated the group will scale this play in the coming months with more activity across platforms for readers, viewers and clients.

On business and finance, Joshi said CNBC-TV18 and Moneycontrol are placing emphasis on tools, research and insights rather than click-led content. 

He pointed to CNBC-TV18 Prime, positioned as a second global business channel with an India lens, and “Access”, described as a gateway to CNBC-TV18 experiences. He said these initiatives are expected to build new revenue streams.

Joshi also highlighted Moneycontrol’s lending platform, saying it has reached scale and is now moving towards becoming a standalone vertical. 

He said MC Pro has crossed one million subscribers, while the newer SuperPro product has added higher-value subscribers. The additions, he said, have helped lift average revenue per subscriber.

He said the regional cluster is expanding across languages, while a fresh push to reach advertisers “in every nook and corner” has strengthened the group’s sales engine. 

Joshi added that digital outreach is also helping the network tap smaller advertisers beyond the top markets. 

He flagged consolidation pressures in the ad industry, and argued that multiple revenue lines have helped the group stay “derisked”.

Joshi placed similar emphasis on events, IPs and campaigns, which he said help preserve and grow traditional advertising revenue. 

He also underlined the role of subscriptions and transactions businesses, alongside creator-led expansion, in broadening the group’s growth base.

On the group’s core news business, Joshi said “old is gold” but added that the traditional news format has peaked, and that faster appeal to GenZ audiences will be critical to sustained growth. 

He argued that GenZ is consuming more through reels and handheld devices, and is less attached to newspapers, linear television and even conventional websites.

He said digital-first platforms such as Firstpost and Kadak will lead the shift, while News18 India and CNN-News18 will step up their connected TV and social media play. 

He also flagged a broader change in the category, saying AI will eat into parts of the traditional news model and likely augment it, while “real intelligence” will separate quality from clutter.

Looking ahead, Joshi said 2026 should be a year that gives younger leaders room to grow and take charge. 

He urged teams to “hire young, think younger, dream bigger”, and said the group should build on its 2025 momentum in what he described as a challenging market environment.