News Broadcasting
Govindraj Ethiraj quits Bloomberg UTV
MUMBAI: Bloomberg UTV Editor-in-Chief Govindraj Ethiraj has put in his papers at the business news channel. He will remain with the channel till the end of September,working with the business leadership team to ensure a smooth transition.
Ethiraj will be joining Nandan Nilekani to be a part of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) project being undertaken by the Government of India.
Ethiraj was one of the founding members of Bloomberg UTV (then UTVi) and has played a crucial role in establishing Bloomberg UTV’s operations in the country and growing it from the pilot stage in 2006.
UTV Group chairman and CEO Ronnie Screwvala said, “Since Bloomberg UTV’s inception, Govind has been one of the key catalysts in ensuring the genesis and birth of a new business entity and successfully navigating it though it’s pilot stage. His departure will be a loss for us, but we fully understand and support his decision to answer to a higher call of duty in being of service to our country. The strong leadership team that Govind has built on the editorial side will ensure that Bloomberg UTV is well set for its next stage of growth across television, internet and mobile.”
Ethiraj added, “I have always wanted to work on a project that reflected ambition and scale and, at the same time, helped understand my country and its real issues better. The UIDAI project gives me the opportunity to do that and work with an exciting and committed team led by Nilekani.”
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.
