News Broadcasting
9.2 million Indians to seek jobs online by 2006-07: IAMAI
MUMBAI: The number of Indian online job seekers is expected to cross 9.2 million this year (2006-07) with the estimated market size of the Indian online recruitment industry reaching Rs 2.41 billion for 2006-2007 from Rs 1.45 billion for 2005-2006.
The industry is also likely to maintain a year on year growth of over 60 per cent, according to a survey conducted by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) recently.
As per the findings, the number of Indians seeking jobs online reached 6.5 million in 2005-2006 recording a rise of 71 per cent over last year.
The survey also found that junior, mid-level and senior executives accounted for more than 50 per cent of online job seekers. In addition, in keeping with the overall pattern of internet usage, among the states Maharashtra topped the list of online job seekers followed by Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and West Bengal.
Fast facts of online job search
— 43 per cent in the 26-35 age group
— 72 per cent male and 28 per cent female
Qualification:
— 41 per cent have a Graduate / Post-Graduate General (BA, BSC. MSC, B.com etc.)
— 40 per cent have a Graduate /Post Graduate Professional Degree.
Occupation:
— 25 per cent Mid Level Executives
— 15 per cent Junior Executives
— 13 per cent Students
— 12 per cent Senior Executives
Top five states:
— 26 per cent Maharashtra
— 17 per cent Delhi
— 13 per cent Tamil Nadu
— 8 per cent Karnataka
— 6 per cent West Bengal
Online Job Search is one of the top five online activities (e-mail, surfing, chatting, search and job search) that Indians indulge in on the internet.
Fuelled by a rising internet penetration and 38.5 million users, e-recruitment is gaining ground as a preferred medium of hiring in India. For job seekers, the internet has opened up the world of job searching, turning it into a 24-hour-a-day marketplace. Internet is arguably the most immediate, convenient and comprehensive medium for employment seekers to research and prospect for jobs.
Commenting on the findings of the survey, IAMAI president Dr Subho Ray said, “Online job search is a winner all the way. For job seekers it eliminates the disadvantages of location, cost and time. For recruiters, it provides easy access to the best talent at a competitive cost. Given the obvious advantages, this segment is set to grow at a scorching pace.”
A growing economy, a thriving job market and increasingly net savvy users have converged to create the right environment for the online job search market to grow.
To understand the exact demographics of the online job seekers as well as parallel activities they do online, IAMAI mandated a study in January 2006 with a base of 3269 respondents who seek jobs online. The survey was mandated by the IAMAI to online research firm Cross Tab Marketing Services, with the overall objective of obtaining data to understand and anticipate online job trends.
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.
