News Broadcasting
Crest promoter Dr Raja Ramanna passes away
MUMBAI: Eminent nuclear scientist and former Crest Communications chairman Dr Raja Ramanna passed away early this morning (3:15 am) following a cardiac arrest in a city hospital. He was 79.
Dr Ramanna was admitted to hospital on Monday after he complained of giddiness and sweating.
Also known as the father of India’s nuclear bomb programme Dr Ramanna was held in high regard by the country’s scientific and academic community. Dignitaries from across the globe, including India’s Prime Minister and President have condoled his death.
Dr Ramanna, who was also the chairman of Indian animation major Crest Communication (now renamed as Crest Animation Studios) is survived by by his wife, two daughters and his son Shyam Ramanna.
Coincidentally, it was only on Monday that Dr Ramanna handed over the chairmanship of the company to Shyam during the Crest AGM. It was also at this AGM that the change in name of the company became effective. It was on 30 July the Crest’s board had recommended that the company’s name be changed so as to properly reflect the fact that today it is focussed purely on the animation business.
Dr Ramanna’s last rites are expected to be performed sometime after 2 pm when Shyam, who is based out of Bangkok, arrives.
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.
