News Broadcasting
Unilever head Niall FitzGerald to move to Reuters as chairman
MUMBAI: Global news and information company Reuters has appointed Niall FitzGerald as its next chairman on Wednesday. He is leaving his post as the head of Unilever. He has been Unilever’s chairman and CEO since 1 September 1996.
A report on the company’s site stated that the 58 year old would replace Christopher Hogg who had served as chairman for the better part of two decades.
FitzGerald is already a non-executive director of Reuters since January 2003. He had announced last month that he was taking early retirement as executive chairman of Unilever on 30 September. He takes up the new post from 1 October.
Hogg added, ” I warmly welcome Niall to the chair of what is both a fine company and a great global brand. I am totally confident that Reuters strategy is matched by its ability to implement its plans
Reuters CEO Tom Glocer said,. “In his 18 years as chairman Hogg has guided Reuters through many very good years and some challenging ones, but his judgment, intelligence and strong moral compass have inspired us all. He has stayed in the chair when it would have been far easier for him personally to retire and he has provided me with wise counsel and support. I am delighted that he will be succeeded by an international business leader of such standing. All of us at Reuters are excited about Niall’s appointment”.
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.
