News Broadcasting
Worldspace India appoints Harshad Jain as Chief Marketing Officer
MUMBAI: Worldspace, satellite-based digital radio services provider has announced the appointment of Harshad Jain as Chief Marketing Officer for its India operations. Jain will be responsible for extending the Worldspace service to markets across India, enhancing consumer experiences and building upon growing brand awareness levels in the country.
Jain joins Worldspace from Pepsico India where he had a productive 12-year plus stint, serving in various roles and building Pepsi brands including Lipton Ice Tea, Aquafina, Tropicana, Slice, Gatorade, and others. In his last role as Executive Vice President (Pepsi-Lipton Joint Venture), Jain headed up the strategic alliance between Pepsi and Unilever, laying the foundation for the merger of the successful Lipton Ice business with Pepsi as well as developing the marketing strategy and the long-term vision for the alliance, informs an official release.
Worldspace India MD Shishir Lall said, “We are delighted to have Harshad join us at Worldspace as we look to grow our business and undertake an extensive brand-building campaign. His appointment is part of a concerted effort to continue building a passionate management team as we share the joy of satellite radio with more and more music lovers across the country.”
With over 40 premium radio stations Worldspace India will leverage Jain’s considerable brand building experience to further extend the reach of the satellite radio service and establish a connection with a larger base of music lovers across India, adds the release.
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.
