News Broadcasting
Atul Phadnis quits Tam; launches Media e2e
MUMBAI: Tam India vice president Atul Phadnis has put in his papers at the agency. He is launching a strategic media studies group called Media e2e that aims at understanding return on investment (ROI) in the media business, strategic media planning, media management and broadcast management.
Media e2e, wherein e2e stands for exposure to engagement, will work in the developmental and educational space in the broadcasting industry.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Phadnis said, “We are in the process of developing tools for broadcasters and direct-to-home (DTH) companies. The tool for broadcasters will be an advanced business tool application for top channel executives that will aid them in efficiency and profitability measurement at various levels.”
The system for DTH companies, on the other hand, is still in the developmental stage. “We are looking at being the front-runners of providing educational exercises and becoming an educational resource pursuing advanced media techniques within the sector,” Phadnis added.
Phadnis will, at the same time, continue to work closely with Tam to develop educational activities and new systems.
When queried as to what prompted him to turn entrepreneur, Phadnis said, “There are a host of changes taking place within our industry with the coming in of multiple delivery platforms. In this dynamic scenario, there was a need to try something new that would help the industry at large.”
Phadnis is in talks with a couple of senior professionals in the industry who are expected to come on board as partners. However, nothing has been finalised as yet. A team of analysts and software professionals are already on board.
Phadnis started his career with Rediffusion-DY&R (now TME) in media planning and later joined HTA (now Mindshare). Phadnis then moved on to Starcom Worldwide, where he was instrumental in launching Starcom Digital. Post that he joined Tam Media Research and was looking after S-Group and AdEx India.
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.
