News Broadcasting
Zee group launches news channel Zee Hindustan
MUMBAI: Another news channel has joined the 800-odd currently beaming into Indian homes. And it is coming courtesy the Subhash Chandra headed Zee group. Called Zee Hindustan, it was launched on 20 May, with an intent to “ bring to fore the voice of the common man, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.”
Its motto: State makes the Nation. And it has been positioned as Nai Bharat ka Naya News channel.”
While announcing the launch of Zee Hindustan, Esssel group chairman Subhash Chandra tweeted: “This was the day 91 years back when my great grandfather founded the firm, which is today’s Essel, It is a coincidence that the MOU with Richard also was signed 25 years back on this day to hire a satellite for the first private TV channel Zee.”
Said Zee Media Corp Ltd executive director & CEO regional channels Jagdeesh Chandra: “In the present scenario, where other news channel from all the languages are busy discussing the national capital priorities, there will be one channel which will discuss the state’s news affairs which can influence the center. Why do states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Assam not set agendas in Delhi? The answer to these questions lie in zee Hindustan, because we believe that states make the nation. This picture will be the main focus of our special program ‘राजधानी से राजधानी तक’, which will be aired seven days a week at 7pm. Not just eight stories, but our special program will focus on 80 stories making it our agenda, Zee Hindustan will become voice of the nation. No TRP games. For this channel, every gram panchayat will be a TRP centre. We promise the country sacchhi khabar and acchhi khabar.”
Zee Hindustan channel’s programing lineup includes ‘11 pm CM’s Corner’ – a show that will broadcast stories of states’ chief ninisters and the bureaucracy, The show is set to be broadcast five days a week, giving viewers the complete balance sheet of each state government’s progress.
The Zee group runs a clutch of news channel under the Zee Media umbrella among which figure: Zee News, Zee Business, Zee Punjab, Haryana and Himachal, Zee 24 Taas, 24, Zee Madhya Pradesh , Chattisgarh, Zee Kalinga, Zee Rajasthan, Zee Marudhara, Zee Gantalu, and WION.
Zee Hindustan can be watched on channel 528 on Tata Sky, 675 on Dish, 339 on Airtel Digital, as well as on DD Direct. The company is in the process of tying up its carriage deals with cable TV MSOs nationally.
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.
