News Broadcasting
Zee News Ltd Q1 net at Rs 33 mn on revenue of Rs 648.5 mn
MUMBAI: Zee News Ltd (ZNL) has posted a fiscal first-quarter consolidated net profit of Rs 33 million on a revenue of Rs 648.5 million.
The comparing quarter a year ago had six regional general entertainment channels which powered a net profit of Rs 119.1 million for the three months to 30 June 2009. Since 1 January 2010 the regional GECs have moved to group company Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd.
Ebitda for the quarter under review stood at Rs 81.2 million and profit before tax at Rs 55.3 million.
ZNL’s advertising revenue grew 14.5 per cent, a satisfying growth considering that the year-ago quarter benefitted from political ads for the general elections.
The expenses of the company stood at Rs 567.3 million
ZNL posted Ebitda profit of Rs 208.3 million from its existing business (Zee News, Zee Business, Zee 24 Taas, Zee Punjabi and 24 Ghanta). The company, however, suffered Ebitda loss of Rs 127.1 million from its new business (Zee Tamizh, Zee 24 Ghantalu and Zee News UP).
ZNL chairman Subhash Chandra said, “Continuing its sound performance in FY 09-10, ZNL has started FY 10-11 with a great zeal. Immediately after de-merger the company’s aim was to consolidate its existing operations. Our focus on innovation, efficiency enhancement, and further rationalisation of cost has enhanced our competitive advantage and has resulted in such encouraging performance.”
On the first quarter numbers, Chandra added, “ZNL has out-performed the industry in Q1 of FY 2010-11.The advertising revenue of the company grew by 14.5 per cent, which is quite creditable given the fact that last year during the same period news genre enjoyed an unprecedented revenue growth owning to general elections of the Country. Aggressive business strategy, coupled with operational efficiency has enabled us achieve a 12.5 per cent Ebitda margin for the company despite the losses accruing from the three newly launched channels. In a cluttered television news market where profitability is a prerogative of only a select few, ZNL’s performance certainly stands apart.”
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.
