News Broadcasting
Aaj Tak distribution head Amitabh Srivastava quits
NEW DELHI: Even as the Aroon Purie-controlled TV Today Network hunts for a news director for its two news channels following the departure of Uday Shankar, comes the information that the company’s distribution and network development head Amitabh Srivastava, too, has quit to seek greener pastures.
Amitabh Srivastava – Another one out the door
TV Today sources confirmed that Srivastava put in his papers a few days back. When contacted by indiantelevision.com, Srivastava said, “I have had an enriching experience at TV Today. But now I am looking for a larger role to play in a company and not get restricted to just network development.”
Though Srivastava did not specify his next destination, he admitted that there are “at least three offers” which he is evaluating before taking a final call.
However, broadcast and cable industry sources hinted that the offers that Srivastava is talking about might include those from Zee Telefilms and the Adhikaris-promoted Mumbai-headquartered SAB TV. It has also been indicated that the former TV Today man is looking at expanding his work sphere to marketing too.
Srivastava, who has worked in various media companies, including BBC World’s Indian operation, was part of the core team at TV Today, which helped in launching first Aaj Tak and then its English sibling Headlines Today.
With Srivastava’s departure, TV Today seems to be experiencing another round of desertions not restricted to just to the editorial division. Apart from Srivastava, another senior person to quit TV Today in recent times was news director Uday Shankar, who is headed to take up the editorship of Star News — contrary to reports in a certain section of the media — after taking a short break.
IStill, TV Today’s CMD Aroon Purie brushed aside allegations that the deluge of desertions is linked to the company’s HR policy. Talking to indiantelevision.com, Purie said, “We train people, nurture them, make them a big name and then others take them away by offering fancy packages.”
However, he admitted that, at the moment, the outflow of people from TV Today is higher than the inflow of fresh and new talent. “Where else do you have a situation where there are five to six news channels competing for more or less the same people?” Purie countered.
Pointing out that the TV job market would correct itself sooner than later, Purie added the company would find a replacement for Shankar “very soon.”
“There are some interesting candidates (for the news director’s post) around in the industry and we’ll inform you soon,” he said.
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.
