News Broadcasting
India Ahead CEO Chetan Sharma moves on
MUMBAI: India Ahead (IA) CEO Chetan Sharma has decided to move on from his current position at the Andhra Prabha Group's news channel after almost a two-year long stint.
India Ahead MD Mootha Goutam announced his departure via a letter to the company employees writing, "After seeing the channel through some momentous events in the short history of IA – such as general elections in the world's largest democracy, Parliament sessions, Pulwama attacks etc, Chetan has decided to move on to pursue other interests that are close to his heart, in the areas of teaching and writing. I, personally wish him all the very best in his endeavors and he shall ever remain in the hearts of "Team IA".
Goutam added, "I would like to place on record the immense work put in by Chetan Sharma, who came on board IA during its formative years as the first CEO and steered it through with meticulous planning and put in place a platform in a record time, thus enabling us to move forward with more vigour."
He also announced the beginning of a new chapter for the channel touted 2.0 with some new appointments: group president, news room operations and editorial strategies Sudeep Mukhia; president, national editorial affairs Amit Goel, president, editorial affairs Sudha Sadanand; and president, sales, marketing, new strategies amd collaborations Arjun Pandey.
Goutam further stated in his letter, "My vision for India Ahead, as a promoter, is to stay nimble, fast, relevant; and in this era of technology, I would like us to be seen, perceived and accepted by our viewers as a "tech enabled electronic media" driven by "news channel at the front end and fuelled by a robust "Digital Platform" at the back end. With the advent of the following team members joining today, I foresee a tectonic shift in the process and methodology of delivering news. Your experience, energy and passion should usher in a new era for India Ahead."
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.
