News Broadcasting
Dilip Venkatraman is CNN-IBN CEO
MUMBAI: Network18 has promoted N Dilip Venkatraman to a newly created post of CEO, CNN-IBN. He will lead Network18‘s English news channel with immediate effect.
In his new role, Venkatraman will be responsible for the strategic, financial and operational management of the channel.
Network18 is going through a restructuring phase as it is preparing for its next phase of growth. The company had recently elevated Anil Uniyal to the newly created post of CEO – CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz. It had also moved Ajay Chacko, who was playing a critical role in looking after CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz and Forbes India, to its new joint venture company, AETN18, as its president.
Earlier in his role as chief marketing officer of CNN-IBN, IBN7 and IBN-Lokmat, Venkatraman was leading marketing operations for all existing and upcoming IBN channels and managing IBN Focus, the alternative media solutions unit for the channels, as COO.
Network18 Group COO B Saikumar said, “We believe that the English news market is poised for tremendous growth and CNN-IBN would be best placed to lead this emerging trend. In Dilip, we entrust the responsibility of managing this growth, ensuring sustained profitability and leading the drive to further enhance the brand’s equity and audience franchise.”
Venkatraman is known for conceptualising properties at Network18 including CNN-IBN Indian of the Year, Real Heroes, IBN7 Diamond States Awards, Citizen Journalist Awards and IBN7 Super Idols.
CNN-IBN, IBN7, IBN-Lokmat Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai said, “Dilip has been a core member of the team instrumental in building the IBN news network into a leadership position, beginning with the launch of CNN-IBN in 2005. His remarkable success in communicating our values of inclusive journalism has helped us grow CNN-IBN into a clear leader in English news and ensured that CNN-IBN, IBN 7 and IBN Lokmat evolve into the stellar editorial brands that they are today and we’re confident that he’ll continue to contribute immensely in the next level of growth for CNN-IBN.”
Venkatraman has over 19 years of corporate experience and prior to joining Network18, he held leadership positions at the India Today Group and Zee Network. He is a graduate in public administration and holds management qualifications from IIM Bangalore and Harvard Business School.
Venkatraman added, “I believe that, right from the outset, CNN-IBN has set the agenda for news in the country with its unique brand of inclusive and passionate journalism which has inturn powered its growth. I hope to work closely with team CNN-IBN to further strengthen our editorial and market leadership.”
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.
