News Broadcasting
iTV Network restructures and strengthens its sales team
KOLKATA: As part of its strategic review, iTV Network has restructured and strengthened its sales team.
Meenakshi Singh has been elevated as president government sales & retail for India News, iTV Network. She brings a broad range of 21 years of experience to her new position at iTV Network. She has experience in working with MNC’s like Gecis (GE), Dell, Neoteric. She has throughout been a star performer winning many awards and recognition. She has been associated with India News since 2020 and was previously vice president, sales & marketing, iTV Network.
Sanjay Singhal has been promoted as president, government north zone Haryana, Punjab, Himachal for India News and Aaj Samaj Chandigarh and Delhi. Sanjay brings nearly three decades of experience to his role in the media Industry with throughout a star performer. He has been associated with India News since 2010, and in his last role, he was associated as senior vice president in iTV Network heading Aaj Samaj and India News Haryana, Punjab and Himachal. Prior to this, he was associated with Hindustan Times as DGM, Chandigarh unit from 2000-2010 (also coordinator and black belt of six sigma in Hindustan Times). He has worked with Indian Express and Jansatta as well from 1990-2000 as a government head.
Suman Singh has also been promoted as deputy general manager (sales). Singh is a seasoned media professional with over 11 years of experience in the media Industry. He has been associated with India News since 2016. He is associated with government sales team (Delhi ).
iTV Network CEO Varun Kohli said, “We are delighted to elevate Meenakshi, Sanjay and Suman. Their skills and wide experience will strive to further strengthen the various revenue streams of iTV network and achieve a robust growth in the coming year and tap newer opportunities in the ever expanding Hindi news space. The promotion reflects the value they bring to the organisation as we execute our plan to grow the business by leveraging our product.”
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.
