News Broadcasting
R Jagannathan quits DNA to join Web18
MUMBAI: Former executive editor of DNA, R. Jagannathan will be joining Network 18‘s internet and digital arm Web 18 as editor, business and financial media.
At Web 18, Jagannathan‘s mandate will be to provide editorial direction and manage content strategy for existing financial brands in the Web18 portfolio as well as spearhead new initiatives on the content side which the network will announce soon.
With over 34 years of experience, Jagannathan is a veteran in business media and has served as editor or executive editor of Business World, Business Today, The Financial Express, Business Standard and Indian Management, having launched or re-launched some of these publications.
Said Web18 CEO Lakshmi Narasimhan, “We‘ve been pioneers in the financial space online and we hope to set new paradigms as we go forward. Jagannathan is one of the finest minds in business media and we believe that his expertise and leadership will be instrumental in giving shape to the new plans in the digital space and to take our financial portfolio to the next level of growth. “
Added Jagannathan, “Web18 has been a benchmark player in business & financial media space with Moneycontrol.com and it is now at a very exciting stage in its journey, I look forward to being part of it at such a momentous time. I hope to work closely with the team to unlock the editorial potential of our brands.”
Web18, one of the country‘s largest web publishing networks, operates market leading financial portals and services including Moneycontrol.com and Poweryourtrade.com.
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
