News Broadcasting
Marva Smalls is MTV executive VP global inclusion strategy
MUMBAI: US broadcaster MTV has announced that Marva Smalls has been named the company’s first executive VP global inclusion strategy.
In this new position, Smalls will drive MTV’s ongoing efforts to champion a diverse, multicultural and inclusive workforce; and to develop the next generation of leaders across its worldwide brands.
She will report to MTV chairman and CEO, Judy McGrath and will become a member of the company’s senior strategy team. Smalls also will retain her current responsibilities as Nickelodeon/MTVN kids and family group executive VP public affairs.
“Diversity, multiculturalism and inclusion are core values for our company – they are at the heart of our business success, our programming strategy and our culture.” said McGrath. “There’s no person better suited than Marva to implement this vision across MTV Networks and help develop our next generation of leaders.”
Smalls will work with the leadership of all MTV brands to champion these values, and to support an environment across the company where all employees can contribute to its success while achieving their own professional goals. Further, she will expand MTVN’s partnerships with leading outside organizations and exemplify MTVN’s diversity, multiculturalism and inclusion efforts worldwide.
Smalls says. “Our culture at MTVN is a rare thing. Our employees share ideas, take creative risks and, most importantly, reflect the audiences they serve and what’s important to them. Diversity and inclusion are as essential as creativity and innovation for success in a global marketplace, and I am excited to build on these core values, particularly as we extend our brands – and acquire new ones – across all platforms.”
MTV has also announced that it is restructuring its day-to-day approach to diversity leadership, with the introduction of a new internal advisory team. Members of the team will reflect the leading business units of MTV Networks, and will have direct impact on diversity, multicultural and inclusion issues, including domestic and international Channel Management, Operations, Programming, Ad Sales, Corporate Responsibility, Creative, Communications, Human Resources and Learning & Development. Working closely with Smalls and the MTV Diversity Council, the advisory team will help set priorities, develop strategies and implement policies that advance MTV’s core values throughout every level of the company and beyond.
As a result of the restructuring, the position of Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) has been eliminated and CDO Billy Dexter will be leaving the company.
Mcgrath says, “Given our unique company culture with multiple stakeholders in our diversity efforts, we’ve come to realise that a team approach will best serve us in a global and now multi-platform environment. I have the greatest respect for Billy, and we thank him for his contributions to our diversity and inclusion mission. He has enhanced our existing initiatives and we’ve benefited from his expertise.”
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.
