News Broadcasting
‘Sumo’ Dutta to head Star’s wireless division
NEW DELHI: Well, we had alluded to this development happening in March, and so it has come to be. Not content with dominating the Indian cable and satellite TV market — media analysts project that Star Group’s growth in Asia would be largely fuelled by the Indian operation’s stridency — Star has now set its eyes on tapping the wireless business in a big way in India and China in conjunction with its TV business.
In India, the newly created wireless business development division is being headed by Sumantra ‘Sumo’ Dutta. He also looks after the FM radio venture Radio City carried out in association with a PK Mittal company.
What’s more, to give shape to these plans and future growth areas, Star India has gone in for a management rejig. This is to ensure that operations and strategic business and corporate planning do not work in isolation of each other.
Pointing out that the re-organization of the management team was made effective earlier this week, Star India CEO Peter Mukherjea told Indiantelevision.com, “As our business grows, the challenges too increase. A brilliant strategy (or strategies) would mean keeping the company’s growth rate ahead of that of the
industry. The re-organisation is aimed in that direction.”
Under the new dispensation, all business and strategic planning, including corporate communication and client servicing, would be brought under a team headed by
Nitin Atroley, who would be based in Delhi.
Atroley joined Star India from Ernst & Young earlier this year as head of corporate affairs. However now with newer responsibilities he may be redesignated. This is an issue that is still being worked upon.
The operations team, which would include divisions like distribution, programming, marketing and ad sales, will be headed by company veteran and Star India COO Sameer Nair.
For more on these developments in Star India, dubbed by a business magazine as the country’s biggest media company, stay tuned.
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.
