News Broadcasting
Al Jazeera America expands executive news team
MUMBAI: Al Jazeera America (AJAM) has expanded its executive news team with the appointment of Heather Allan as senior vice president of news gathering.
Additionally, AJAM’s current news gathering head, Amir Ahmed, an Emmy award-winning journalist who held leadership roles at CNN before joining AJAM in 2013, will assume the role of senior vice president of news planning.
Allan, who is a long-time American news veteran, will be responsible for overseeing all of AJAM’s news coverage. She has worked for 30 years at NBC, including as West Coast bureau chief, before joining Al Jazeera English in 2009 as head of global news gathering.
On the other hand, Ahmed will be responsible for the strategic planning and delivery of AJAM’s high-quality news content.
The appointments reflect a strategic commitment by AJAM to bolster its news gathering resources and realign editorial operations so the network is best positioned to advance its journalistic mission across a range of platforms.
“Amir and Heather are strong leaders whom we’re pleased to have join the newsroom as we continue to advance AJAM’s mission to deliver the highest quality, in-depth journalism to more audiences and through multiple platforms,” said Al Jazeera America executive vice president of content Amjad Atallah.
In her previous role at Al Jazeera English, Allan managed all global news coverage for the network’s 34 bureaus across the world. She played a key role in in launching AJAM in 2013, setting up all of the channel’s domestic bureaus and recruiting news staff for each location.
“Heather’s worldly experience and innate news sense will be a valuable asset in further strengthening AJAM’s exceptionally talented news division,” said Al Jazeera America president Kate O’Brian.
“AJAM’s unique mission, passionate journalists and dedication to its editorial vision are characteristics that I truly admire in this young network,” added Allan. “I’m excited about the opportunity to be part of it at such a pivotal time, as AJAM defines its role in the market and promotes the value of its content to new audiences.”
“With a news team committed to delivering content that’s consistently second to none, it’s a fascinating opportunity to work amongst journalists who all share the same mission,” said Ahmed. “I’m looking forward to having Heather on board as we embark on this next phase of AJAM, working together to reach new heights while ensuring our quality journalism continues to reflect our editorial DNA.”
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.
