News Broadcasting
SingTel voted best Asian telecom operator for fifth consecutive year
Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (SingTel) has been voted Best Asian Telecom Operator for the fifth year running by readers of Telecom Asia, the region’s widely read telecommunications publication.
In the Telecom Asia’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2002, SingTel Mobile won the title of Best Asian GSM Operator again, following its earlier success in 2000. SingTel President & CEO Lee Hsien Yang has been named Best Telecom Executive for the second consecutive year, says an official release.
SingTel is one of Asia’s leading communications company with a comprehensive portfolio of services that include voice and data services over fixed, wireless and Internet platforms. The company serves global communication in corporate and residential markets. SingTel has extensive interests in submarine cable and satellite systems, including its co-owned ST-1 satellite and the pan-Asian C2C cable network. Its infrastructure development strategy is to ensure that its networks remain modern and efficient, and continue to meet the needs of its customers.
The SingTel Group has expanded into overseas markets, with investments in many countries and territories. In Australia, its wholly-owned subsidiary, SingTel Optus is a leader in integrated communications – serving more than five million customers. The Group’s major investments include Advanced Info Service of Thailand and the Bharti Telecom Group in India.
In the past year, SingTel has received numerous awards by the industry and its peers in a variety of opinion polls published in leading publications including Red Herring, Far Eastern Economic Review, Computerworld and FinanceAsia.
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.
