News Broadcasting
Zee Business races ahead of its competitors in Barc news ratings
Mumbai: Zee Business has grabbed the position of top business channel in India in the critical broadcast segment, according to data provided to the business channel by Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc).
According to the relative share data released by the association (Business news genre, week 10 of 2022 (avg rolling data) HSM all 22+ male ABC, 0600 – 2400 hrs), Zee Business scored the top place with 59.7 percent relative share, while the rest of the business news channels combined have 40.3 per cent relative share.
“A big thanks to the viewers of Zee Business as we continue to be the top choice and the voice of the consumers,” commented Zee Business managing editor Anil Singhvi. “We will continue to empower our viewers on smart investment decisions that can help them make profits. This feat has now become a habit for the channel. We are the only channel that provides jargon-free information to the viewers in the simplest language possible which helps them make sound investment decisions.”
“I take this opportunity to thank our viewers for their continued confidence in our channel Zee Business and this has helped us to be in the top position,” stated Zee Media Corp Ltd head of marketing Anindya Khare. “Zee Business is always educating and explaining the viewers on the nuances of the stock market. We are always trying to find new ways to help and educate our audiences on various matters related to finance and share our expert views on the channel.”
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.
