News Broadcasting
Republic TV rejigs top leadership, names Darius Maneckji as business head
Mumbai: Republic Media Network has bolstered its business team with the elevation of Hersh Bhandari as group chief operating officer – broadcasting division and appointment of Darius Maneckji as business head for Republic TV and senior executive vice president.
In his new role, Bhandari will oversee the entire national operations for all existing broadcast channels of the network. Maneckji will now lead the entire expansive national operations for Republic TV, including the channel’s offices in Bengaluru, Noida, Gurgaon, Kolkata and Mumbai. He will report to Hersh Bhandari, announced the network in a statement on Wednesday.
With 24 years of experience, Bhandari is a well-established industry veteran with hefty achievements. With his impeccable record, he will also lead and strategise all future growth of the network’s broadcasting business into languages and regions. “Bhandari will manage the entire broadcast business operations from the network’s offices in Noida and Mumbai,” the media company said.
“At Republic Media Network, we continue to consolidate and strengthen ourselves with speed for the growth that beckons us,” said Hersh Bhandari. “I am energised by the trust reposed in me by the board, management, and my colleagues, to help shape and deliver the next phase of growth. We think and move as one, shoulder-to-shoulder.”
With over 20 years of experience, dominantly in leadership positions, Maneckji has a well-respected and robust record in the media. He has been the national sales head in the past for Times Now and also the national sales head for the English movie cluster at Turner International India. Before onboarding with Republic TV, his last assignment was with TV Today. “I am excited to join India’s fastest-growing news network. I look forward to working with one of the best teams in the business to ensure we continue to command and establish our leadership role in the English news genre,” said Darius Maneckji.
“I am excited about the new roles for both Hersh and Darius,” said Republic Media Network founder and editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami. “The broadcasting division under Hersh will see rapid growth, like never before. Our digital business is being expanded by 100 percent and together with our Strategic Business partnerships, will be hived off into separate business divisions, each with their own leadership and goals. At a consolidated level, this should place us in a fantastic position to be the number one TV plus digital news company across the board in two years.”
Republic Media Network is expanding its broadcasting operations and will be making more announcements in the coming weeks. “The induction of strong business talent is part of the expansion of the network and creation of a strong organizational base to take the plans forward,” added Goswami.
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.
