News Broadcasting
Ashish Sehgal makes a timely move as Times Network CEO from early next month
MUMBAI: Ashish Sehgal is coming home to Times Group. The media industry heavyweight will take charge as chief executive officer of Times Network next month, ending a turbulent year and a half that saw two leadership exits and mounting operational drift.
Sehgal, who left Zee Entertainment Enterprises in October after a successful run as chief growth officer for broadcast and digital, will also serve as chief growth officer for business, sports and entertainment verticals within Vineet Jain’s portfolio. His arrival is expected to bring much-needed stability to a network that has been rudderless since the departure of long-serving chief executive M. K. Anand in July 2024.
The leadership vacuum deepened in August when chief operating officer Varun Kohli stepped down after just 13 months. Rohit Gopakumar, who juggles responsibilities across Worldwide Media and the entertainment and digital divisions, has been holding the fort since. Sehgal’s appointment will allow him to return to his core mandate.
Industry insiders see the move as a signal that Times Network is ready to stop the bleeding and start building again. Sehgal brings a reputation for sharp strategy and muscular execution. At Zeel, he drove performance across television and Zee5, steered the ILT20 Cricket League as business head, and delivered robust top-line growth as chief operating officer of Zee Unimedia between 2015 and 2020—widely regarded as one of the company’s strongest phases.
Before Zee, Sehgal cut his teeth at Star India, where he ran national sales for Star Gold after leading its northern operations. His career began at Univista TV and Times FM.
Reached for comment, Sehgal was cryptic. “No comment. I’m off on a holiday and will be spending time with my family.” Sources within Times Network, however, confirmed the appointment.
The network has been holding its breath. Now it can exhale.
(Updated 12 noon)
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.
