News Broadcasting
NBSA to examine complaints against Zee News Ltd channels relating to coal blocks
NEW DELHI: The News Broadcasting Standards Authority has taken suo moto cognizance of the complaint filed by Jindal Steel Ltd. regarding telecast of news with regard to allocation of coal blocks and other issues on Zee News, Zee Business and Zee UP (channels of Zee News Ltd.).
The NBSA took the decision on the basis of the material placed before it and considering the seriousness of the complaint.
The complaint had been forwarded by the Press Council of India (PCI) as the complaint does not fall within the ambit of the Council as it relates to electronic media.
Meanwhile, the NBSA set up by the News Broadcasters Association has been reconstituted, though former Chief Justice and National Human Rights Commission Chairman J S Verma remains the Chairperson.
After the reconstitution on 2 October, the other members are:
Members representing eminent persons category:
1. Nitin Desai, Economist and former Under Secretary General of United Nations
2. Dipankar Gupta, former Professor of Sociology, Jawaharlal Nehru University
3. Mrs Chokila Iyer, former Foreign Secretary, Government of India
4. Dr. S Y Quraishi, former Chief Election Commissioner of India, and former Director General of Doordarshan
Members representing Editors’ category:
1. Rahul Kanwal, Managing Editor – Headlines Today
2. Vivek Law, Editor, Bloomberg TV India
3. Ajit Anjum, Managing Editor – News 24
4. Johny Lukose, Director, News – Manorama News
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.
