News Broadcasting
Bharat Express appoints Nishant Mishra as marketing head ahead of its official launch
Mumbai: Before its official launch, Upendrra Rai’s upcoming national Hindi news channel Bharat Express has appointed Nishant Mishra as its marketing head. In his new role, he will be closely working with the management for the launch of the channel to create a successful brand strategy, curate content-led events and IPs, form strategic alliances, and create customised brand solutions for the channel.
Prior to joining Bharat Express, Mishra played a crucial role in the successful launch of Bharat24 and the channel’s other marketing initiatives in his national role. In his career spanning over 15 years, Mishra has worked with leading media brands like TV Today, TV18, Zee and iTV Network.
Commenting on his appointment, Mishra said, “Launch is the most exciting and thrilling phase of a media brand. I am privileged to have this opportunity and look forward to working with the incredible and seasoned team of professionals already at Bharat Express.”
Bharat Express CMD & editor-in-chief Upendrra Rai said, “As the channel is gearing up for its official launch on 1 February 2023, we have made a slew of senior-level appointments in critical roles. Mishra’s appointment will add more heft to our remarkable team at the channel and I am confident that Bharat Express will benefit from Mishra’s rich experience.”
Commenting on the appointment, Bharat Express CEO Varun Kohli said, “Having worked with Mishra before, I have witnessed Mishra’s growth as a marketing professional. I have always admired his solution-based and result-oriented approach, which will further bolster our growth plans for Bharat Express.”
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.
