News Broadcasting
Vedika Sud joins NDTV 24×7 as consulting editor
NEW DELHI: NDTV 24×7 has roped in veteran journalist Vedika Sud as consulting editor, marking the return of one of south Asia’s most recognised broadcast reporters to the Indian news landscape. Sud, who most recently served as CNN International’s bureau chief for India and South Asia, brings nearly two decades of frontline reporting experience spanning crises, conflicts and political transitions across the region.
At CNN, Sud was the network’s editorial lead across India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, working closely with global desks and appearing on flagship programmes with anchors including Jake Tapper, Wolf Blitzer and Erin Burnett. She covered the India–Pakistan conflict following the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, the G20 climate and geopolitical negotiations, the India–Myanmar refugee crisis, the farmers’ protests, and Delhi’s landfill investigations exposing the intersection of environment and public health. Her on-the-ground reportage during the 2021 Delta wave of Covid, from overwhelmed hospitals to the desperate hunt for oxygen, earned international recognition for its clarity and compassion.
Before CNN, Sud anchored prime bulletins at the India Today group, oversaw fast-paced editorial operations at NewsX and built her early career at Times Now, where she transitioned from producing political segments to fronting live broadcasts on elections, terror attacks and civic issues.
Her work has won accolades including an honourable mention at the 2024 Society of Publishers in Asia Awards for reporting on women’s issues and a finalist slot at the South Asian Journalists Association Awards in 2021. An alumna of Sophia College, Mumbai, she also holds a diploma in social communications media and a graduate certificate in public policy from the Takshashila Institution.
NDTV’s chief executive and editor-in-chief Rahul Kanwal called Sud “an interpreter of meaning, not just a witness to events,” saying her global perspective would sharpen NDTV’s mission to deliver rigorous, contextual journalism in a crowded and noisy news environment.
Sud said she was drawn to NDTV’s legacy of explanatory reporting. “The most powerful stories don’t simply tell you what happened — they explain why it matters and who it matters to. In an age of endless headlines, our responsibility is to cut through the noise and connect the dots for the public,” she said.
Her appointment comes as NDTV, one of India’s oldest English news broadcasters, seeks to reinforce its editorial heft under new ownership. With Sud joining its leadership ranks, the channel is signalling a renewed commitment to fact-based reporting and nuanced analysis at a time when credibility in Indian television journalism is under sharper scrutiny than ever.
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.
