News Broadcasting
Top brass of Yahoo!, WPP start new media venture – Gas Station TV
MUMBAI: Gas Station TV (GSTV), an IP-based digital television network, has announced the appointment of its executive management team. Yahoo!’s David Leider will serve as CEO and manage client and partner relationships and business operations. WPP’s Stephen Kuehn will oversee fiscal operations as chief financial officer. Adam Bleibtreu will provide design, execution and integration expertise as president of the company.
The team will lead the company in building a national digital media network offering entertainment and informational programming to consumers, while affording unique advertising opportunities to the gas retailer marketplace.
The GSTV digital network will air on 20″ high-definition, daylight viewable LCD monitors embedded into gas pumps. GSTV will feature national ABC content such as its popular “News You Can Use” segments, as well as local news, AccuWeather forecasts and traffic from ABC affiliates. Leider, Bleibtreu and Kuehn will leverage their experience in advertising, media and marketing to strategically position GSTV in the market.
GSTV CEO Leider carries more than 20 years of experience in the media, automotive, consumer packed goods, retail and technology sectors. Leider brings expertise in senior-level client relationship management, business operations and marketing integration to GSTV. Prior to joining GSTV he was a member of senior management at Yahoo! Inc.
Prior to his role as CFO of GSTV, Kuehn served at WPP Worldwide as CFO for the Ford Automotive business where he was responsible for all aspects of finance and operations. During his 15 years in advertising, Kuehn has held several senior financial management positions, servicing many automotive, fast food and retail industry clients.
GSTV president Adam Bleibtreu brings 25 years of advertising, media and marketing experience to his position at GSTV. An expert in narrowcasting and IPTV networks, Bleibtreu specialises in the design, implementation and integration of digital networks. Prior to GSTV, he was responsible for designing and executing the first digital networks in themed restaurants, shopping malls and convention centers in the US. Having served as the initial vice president of creative services for the WB Television Network, Bleibtreu has a rich experience in launching television networks.
“The strong leadership skills demonstrated by David, Adam and Stephen through their far-reaching expertise in advertising and digital media are what solidified GSTV as such an attractive investment opportunity. I am fully confident in each of their capabilities to develop GSTV into a dramatically successful venture,” said DHW Capital’s David Wong.
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.
