News Broadcasting
News industry vet Umesh Upadhyay passes away
MUMBAI: Veteran TV journalist Umesh Upadhyay passed on 1 September after what is being described as an accidental fall from the fourth floor of his apartment building in Vasant Kunj in New Delhi. Upadhyay was inspecting the renovation when he stumbled and dropped to the second floor. He was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
Umesh had addressed students of the Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication on 31 August as a guest lecturer and was active on linkedin even on 1 September wherein he responded to feedback on his talk from students at the institute.
Umesh described himself as a writer, columnist and media consultant and educationist since November 2023 when he left Reliance Industries as president and media director. Prior to that he had had stints with Network18, Janmat TV, Zee News, Home TV, Zee TV, Doordarshan and PTI.
His last rites were conducted earlier today.
A flood of condolences has been pouring in on social media following Umesh’s demise. Prime minister Modi too came on X to express his feelings. Said he: “I am deeply saddened by the demise of senior journalist and writer Umesh Upadhyayji, who made valuable contributions in the field of digital media and TV.”
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.
