News Broadcasting
ABP Network revamps sales team for channel growth
Mumbai: ABP Network, a media house, has announced a series of strategic changes within its sales leadership team aimed at optimising operations, fostering enhanced collaboration, and positioning the company for success in the forthcoming year.
As the organization reflects on the achievements of the past year and gears up for an eventful election cycle, these changes, scheduled to take effect from 1 May 2024, are designed to instil a sharper and more focused approach to its business. The new structure will empower sales teams, promote accountability, and enhance the company’s agility and responsiveness to market dynamics.
Key highlights of the restructuring include:
Elevations at the National Level:
● Parul Kamra elevated to National Sales Head for ABP News & ABP Asmita
● Gautam Dutta elevated to National Sales Head for ABP Ananda
● Shailendra Hegde elevated to National Sales Head for ABP Majha
At the regional level, the following leaders have been elevated:
● Saurabh Goel elevated to Region Head – North
● Suman Mukherjee elevated to Region Head – East
● Madhvi Gajwani elevated to Region Head – West for ABP News, ABP Ananda, and ABP Asmita
● Mahesh Borde was elevated to Region Head for ABP Majha in the West, in addition to his current role overseeing the Network for the rest of Maharashtra
The company has also made changes to strengthen its branch-level sales leadership:
● Sonali Chauhan to lead sales for ABP Ananda & ABP Majha in the North
● Rishabh Dua to lead sales for ABP News & ABP Asmita in the North
● Saheli Dhol to lead sales for Consolidated & Team in the East
● Kumar Luthria to lead sales for ABP News + ABP Asmita in the West
Furthermore, to drive the strategic growth of Spotlight, a key IP for the company, the following changes have been made:
Dhruv Bhattacharya has been elevated to lead All India Sales for Spotlight. He will continue to manage state business for the North. Surabhi Kesarwani has been elevated to Spotlight Head for North while Nishant Chaturvedi has been elevated to Spotlight Head for West & South. Prashant Kumar will join the Spotlight team for West, based out of Mumbai.
This revamped structure reflects ABP Network’s unwavering commitment to innovation, customer-centricity, and market leadership. By empowering the teams and streamlining operations, ABP Network is poised to drive sustainable growth and deliver exceptional value to its stakeholders.
News Broadcasting
Network18 posts Rs 1,955 crore revenue, narrows FY26 losses
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.
