News Broadcasting
QYOU Media elevates Karan Pherwani & Mrunali Dedhia to vice president of Chtrbox
Mumbai: QYOU media subsidiary Chtrbox has announced the promotion of Mrunali Dedhia and Karan Pherwani to further strengthen its leadership team.
Dedhia and Pherwani have both been crucial in building Chtrbox to its nationwide position as a leader in influencer marketing and creator talent management. In their new roles, they will further innovate and scale-up Chtrbox’s creator-powered marketing solutions across India while driving synergies with QYOU’s influencer marketing group in the US.
Dedhia and Pherwani have been heading key growth and servicing divisions at Chtrbox, including managing a team of over 60 influencer marketing and creator content specialists. Their expertise in the domain has led to award-winning work and the successful execution of thousands of creator-led campaigns by Chtrbox over the past six years.
Pherwani comes with over 10 years of strong experience in India’s new-age media and entertainment industry, including being the leader behind the 2021 launch of Chtrbox’s talent management unit, Chtrbox Represent.
Dedhia was Chtrbox’s first team member in 2016, and through her six intrapreneurial years with Chtrbox, she has successfully grown multiple influencer marketing divisions, key partnerships, and responsibilities for the company.
“I have had the fortune and freedom to grow with Chtrbox over the past four-plus years. With such talented creators and teams around us, we believe we’ve only scratched the surface of what lies ahead. I’m excited to co-lead the growth and create even far more compelling offerings for brands, creators, and audiences alike,” said Pherwani.
While sharing her experience of working with Chtrbox, Dedhia shared, “It’s been a tremendous ride with Chtrbox, from helping build and grow the team from the ground up, to consistently working with some of the best creators and brands-P&G, Amazon, HP, Cred, etc. I am looking forward to this new role and scaling QYOU & Chtrbox’s great work further.”
Chtrbox CEO & co-founder Pranay Swarup added, “We are ecstatic to elevate Karan and Mrunali to their new roles. As we grow towards increased international capabilities with the QYOU influencer marketing team in the US, they are perfect to lead synergies there as well as continue to grow depth with our India business. They are true influencer marketing experts and path-breaking leaders, and we believe they will thrive in their new roles.”
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.
