News Broadcasting
Network18 beefs up business news editorial set up
MUMBAI: It’s taking steps to strengthen its business news team. For starters, it has announced the appointment of Network18 long timer (currently president & editorial director TV18 Business Media) Senthil Chengalvarayan as the editor in chief of what it calls the Network18 Business Newsroom – comprising its market leading broadcast and digital news outlets in the business media space, CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNBC-TV18 Prime HD and Moneycontrol.com. The newsroom is slated to act as a common hub to ensure seamless broadcast and digital synergies from both a newsgathering and output perspective across these brands, which cumulatively attract over 40 million viewers and 15 million unique visitors on an average every month, says a company press release.
In this new capacity, Senthil will be working closely with R. Jagannathan, editor-In-chief of Network18’s web and publishing stable which includes Moneycontrol.com, CNBC Awaaz editor in chief Sanjay Pugalia, CNBC Awaaz and the editorial leads at CNBC-TV18.
The management has also pushed senior editors Menaka Doshi and Latha Venkatesh upstairs as executive editors. While Menaka will lead corporate reportage, law and associated areas, Latha Venkatesh will take charge of the banking and financial markets vertical.
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This follows managing editor Udayan Mukherjee’s decision to work with the group in an exclusive consultative capacity and the appointment of Shereen Bhan as his replacement. “As the country’s leading broadcast and digital player in business news, we are well-positioned to redefine the category in the context of a converging media landscape. The Network18 Business Newsroom is designed to capitalise on the deep engagement and trust our iconic brands enjoy. We are confident that the editorial leadership team under Senthil’s guidance will be able to craft a new paradigm in business media, ” said Network18 founder and editor Raghav Bahl in the press release making these announcements. “..As they (CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz and Moneycontrol) propel ahead in their growth journey, it is imperative that we fuse their editorial strengths in a manner that enhances our offering further and the Network18 Business Newsroom fulfills this objective. In Senthil, Menaka and Latha, we have the most trusted voices in business journalism today and we believe that they will bring their deep expertise and insights to bear at the Newsroom,” added Network18 Group COO B. Sai Kumar. “I am a firm believer in the benefit that the Network18 Business Newsroom can unleash for our stellar editorial products. We pioneered business news on television and the web in India and the Newsroom is a natural extension of our successful journey,“ expounded Network18 Business Newsroom editor-in-chief Senthil Chengalvarayan. “I believe that it will achieve two critical objectives for us. It’ll ensure that each of our brands access the best editorial expertise across the Group while they continue to fulfill their distinct editorial propositions. And they’ll do so through a structure that capitalises on the new realities in the media landscape.” |
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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.
