News Broadcasting
Discovery uncovers possible Nefertiti Mummy
MUMBAI: The Discovery Channel has announced that Egyptologist Dr Joann Fletcher has perhaps discovered and identified the mummy believed to be that of ancient Egypt’s stunningly beautiful Queen Nefertiti.
Later this year in September, Discovery will present a two-hour special chronicling the expedition, including the discovery of the mummy, and telling the compelling story of one of the great figures in Egyptian history.
Nefertiti meaning “the beautiful or perfect one has come” and several of her six daughters achieved unusually high status during the reign of her husband and co-ruler, Akhenaten, during the 14th Century BC. Discovery funded Fletcher’s expedition, which blended archaeology and state-of-the-art digital technology to try to find and identify Nefertiti as part of the network’s new initiative, Discovery Channel Quest.
The first stage of the expedition took place a year ago. Fletcher a member of the University of York’s Mummy Research Team, first visited the secret side chamber in tomb KV35 in Luxor’s Valley of the Kings, the ancient royal burial ground.
An expert in mummification, specialising in the study of ancient Egyptian hair, Fletcher was drawn to the tomb by her identification of a forgotten Nubian-style wig favoured by royal women in the XVIIIth dynasty during the reign of Akhenaten, which had been found near three unidentified mummies.
Discovery and London-based Atlantic Productions filmed Fletcher as she examined the mummies, one of who bore a striking profile and swan-like neck comparable to the famed beauty Nefertiti, despite malicious post-mortem blows to her face.
Fletcher found physical links to the late queen including the clear impression of the tight-fitting brow-band she once wore (which identifies this individual as royalty), a double-pierced ear lobe, shaved head, and physical damage echoing the attacks on her statues and other representations. In addition, it was unusual for royal mummies not to bear identifying marks, suggesting that these mummies, although royal in status,
were intentionally deprived of ways to enter afterlife according to Egyptian belief. That would fit historical knowledge about Nefertiti’s role in the Amarna period’s religious revolution, later overturned by the powerful,
traditional priesthood.
Earlier this year in February a multidisciplinary team of scientists — funded by Discovery — returned to KV35. They further studied the methods used to embalm the mummies, and while examining the mummies discovered a ripped-off right arm, bent up pharaonic style with its fingers still clutching a long-vanished royal scepter.
They also used cutting-edge Canon digital X-ray machinery to examine the mummies on the spot. The evidence, including jewelry within the smashed-in chest cavity, appeared to confirm Dr. Fletcher’s original assessment of the identity of one of the two adult female mummies (the third is of a young boy)
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.
