Network18’s Rahul Joshi Highlights Content Focus as Key to Resilience in 2025
Group’s MD & Editor-in-Chief credits strong editorial strategy and creator ecosystem for sustaining growth amid advertising headwinds
Group’s MD & Editor-in-Chief credits strong editorial strategy and creator ecosystem for sustaining growth amid advertising headwinds
Reflecting on the year gone by, Rahul Joshi, Managing Director and Group Editor-in-Chief of Network18, underscored that a consistent focus on content helped the group move forward despite a challenging media environment. As advertising pressures intensified across the industry, Network18 stayed resilient by doubling down on editorial strength, innovation and audience relevance.
Joshi highlighted that the group’s progress was driven by a clear belief in quality storytelling and a growing creator ecosystem. Initiatives aimed at empowering independent creators and expanding digital reach played a key role in keeping the network culturally relevant and future-ready.
He also pointed to the importance of revenue diversification. With traditional advertising becoming increasingly volatile, Network18 leaned on subscriptions, premium offerings, events and intellectual property to build a more balanced and sustainable business model. This approach helped cushion the impact of market fluctuations and strengthened long-term growth prospects.
On the editorial front, Joshi noted a strategic shift, particularly across business news platforms, from chasing volume to delivering depth. The emphasis has moved towards insights, research, tools and context, allowing audiences to engage more meaningfully with content while also supporting higher-value subscription growth.
Addressing changing consumption patterns, Joshi observed that younger audiences are gravitating towards short-form and platform-native content, often preferring social and digital ecosystems over traditional news formats. This shift, he said, reinforces the need for media brands to adapt formats and storytelling styles without compromising credibility.
Looking ahead, Joshi identified technology — especially artificial intelligence — as a transformative force in journalism. While tools and automation will reshape workflows, he stressed that editorial judgment, nuance and trust will remain the true differentiators for news organisations in the years to come.