News Broadcasting
Saurabh Goel takes charge as national revenue head of NDTV Profit
NEW DELHI: NDTV has handed the revenue reins of its business channel to a long-time ad-sales operator. Saurabh Goel has started a new role as national revenue head of NDTV Profit, marking a return to the network with a broader mandate.
“I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as national revenue head – NDTV Profit at NDTV Network,” Goel said while announcing the move. He also added, “Thank you Mandeep Singh!!”
Goel brings more than 20 years of experience in media sales spanning television, radio and digital, a mix prized by broadcasters chasing fragmented audiences and tighter ad budgets.
His recent stint at NDTV Network has been a quick climb. He served as revenue head at NDTV Profit in February 2026 before stepping into the national revenue head role the same month. Earlier, he was revenue head west at NDTV Network from July 2025 to February 2026.
Before rejoining NDTV, Goel spent over 17 years at ABP Network. As group account director from June 2021 to July 2025, based in Noida, he led corporate business in the north. His remit covered business development, strategy, customer service and B2B partnerships.
From 2008 to 2021, as account director in the greater Delhi area, he handled ad-sales revenue for ABP News Network channels including ABP News, Ananda and Majha. His role focused on corporate clients, media agencies and new business development, along with brand-led advertising initiatives aimed at improving yield and portfolio health.
Earlier stops include ETV Network, where he managed DAVP and PSU business from 2006 to 2008, and Radio Today 93.5 FM, where he handled airtime sales in New Delhi from 2005 to 2006.
For NDTV Profit, the hire signals a sharper revenue play as news broadcasters hunt for growth beyond traditional spot advertising. For Goel, it is a homecoming with higher stakes. In India’s bruising news market, the real headline will be whether experience can outpace the slowdown and turn eyeballs into earnings.
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.
