News Broadcasting
Three senior executives exit Star Group
MUMBAI: There is some major churn happening at Star Group’s head office in Hong Kong. Three senior executives – Digital Platforms Group president Altaf Alimohamed, advertising sales executive V-P Toby Hayward and marketing and corporate communications senior V-P Mani Rao – have resigned in the last one month, it is reliably learnt.
The exits have come ahead of the Star Group shifting to Hong Kong G Jagdish Kumar, chief operating officer (COO) in the direct-to-home (DTH) joint venture company with the Tatas, Space TV.
DTH and distribution are two areas of the business that Star Group CEO Michelle Guthrie has taken personal charge of, according to industry sources. Guthrie will have a very hands on role to play on both these fronts in the coming months, the sources say.
Meanwhile, as already reported in the media, Kumar would be handling the financial operations of Star for the entire Asian region, including the key markets of India and China. Kumar, who is making a return to the finance side at Star with this move, would be reporting directly to CFO and executive V-P business development John Lau.
As regards replacements for the three executives who have left, information available with indiantelevision.com indicates that an announcement regarding the person who will take over Hayward’s portfolio is expected in due course. The other two positions are, however, likely to remain vacant.
When contacted, Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea said he had no comment to offer on the reported developments.
Hayward was responsible for the advertising sales operations for Star channels in Hong Kong and the company’s regional sales offices around the world. He also oversaw Star’s research, sales traffic and presentation, client communications and sponsorship activities. Additionally, he coordinated sales and communications between the international and local sales teams based in India, Taiwan and the Middle East.
Alimohamed headed the development of digital platform operations in India. He also oversaw Star’s subscription television services in the Middle East and Pakistan.
Rao oversaw marketing, branding, corporate affairs, public relations and the marketing of creative services across Star’s brands and businesses. Rao was also responsible for the company’s corporate citizenship initiatives.
Returning to Star’s DTH plans in India, Space TV is reportedly targeting a Diwali launch and has recruited former marketing executive V-P at Colgate Vikram Kaushik as its head. Shankar De, earlier with international investment banking firm Rothschild, has been appointed CFO.
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.
