News Broadcasting
Pallaw Kumar joins prestigious Indian Express Group
Mumbai: The Indian Express Group has appointed Pallaw Kumar in a key role in the online division. In his new role, Pallaw will primarily be responsible for special projects, brand solutions, and strategic partnerships for the group’s bouquet of online brands.
Graduated in International Business & Marketing, Pallaw brings with him 11 years of rich experience in brand & marketing management of leading electronic & print media brands.
Known for his in-depth research, detailed analysis and perfect planning, Pallaw is an expert in strategic campaigning. He has conceived and developed 360° campaigns and content strategies for the brands such as ZEE News, Outlook, Amar Ujala, UNICEF, etc.
Prior to joining The Indian Express, he has been associated with Outlook Group as Assistant Vice President – Brand & Marketing. The national campaigns, ‘Outlook Poshan 2.0’ and ‘Outlook Speakout’ were particularly commendable during his tenure.
During his tenure at ZEE Media, the success of the brand campaign, ‘Aaj Aapne ZEE News Dekha Kya?’ led ZEE News becoming No.1 National News Channel. In his numerous brand campaigns, ‘ZEE News Ab Desh Ke Kone Kone Tak’ and ‘Yes To India’ are particularly noteworthy. Abby Award winning campaign ‘The Misunderstood Scoreboard’, held simultaneously in India and Pakistan, set new benchmarks in outdoor innovations. He has also been instrumental in launching several national and regional channels of Zee Media Group. Pallaw has also been part of the Abby Award winning brand campaign ‘Beti Hi Bachayegi’ during his stint at ‘Amar Ujala’.
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.
