News Broadcasting
Sheeraz Hasan awarded California’s highest State honour
MUMBAI: The CEO of Tinseltown TV and international media figure Sheeraz Hasan was recognised recently with a Resolution of Commendation from the State Legislature of California.
The Resolution was presented by fourth assembly district representative Tim Leslie in the offices of the State capital in Sacramento, in recognition of Sheerazs outstanding contributions to the television and film industries in Hollywood, Bollywood, and Lollywood.
Members Resolution from a California State Legislator is the highest commendation and honor that can be given to an individual in the State of California. It recognises the individual’s outstanding contribution to the betterment of the State of California, and is recorded in State assembly archives.
Hasan has become an internationally recognised figure as the CEO and host of Tinseltown TV, a weekly Hollywood newsmagazine show that reaches over 500 million viewers in 130 countries. He has been proclaimed “The Next Big Thing” by the Times newspaper in the United Kingdom, and “Bollywoods Newest Star” by Fortune Magazine.
In May of this year, he won the ‘American Dream Award’ at the Bollywood Awards in Atlantic City, NJ. The Bollywood Awards are the Indian film industrys equivalent to the Oscars. In addition, he has received numerous recognitions from both the US Congress and the House of Representatives, as well as being named ‘Hollywood Ambassador to the Middle East’ at this years Arabian Music Awards in Dubai, UAE. He was given the ‘Humanitarian Communicator of the Year’ Award by the One Night Foundation, and the ‘International Award’ by the Friends of the United Nations and Youth for Human Rights
In presenting the award, assemblyman Leslie said, “Sheeraz is the American dream. Weve come here today to invite our Pakistani guests to take a view of the capitol building, and in a special treat, to award Sheeraz a special resolution from the State assembly, honoring him for his magnificent work in Hollywood, and Bollywood, and Lollywood. Hes got all three film capitals of the world in his hands and is doing a marvelous job in the United States and in California. This resolution Ive presented to Sheeraz tells about his accomplishments and about the great work that hes doing in the State of California, and tells about his meteoric rise in the film industry. Hes friends of stars from Hollywood and throughout the world, and now Im happy to say hes my friend also.”
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.
