News Broadcasting
Zee Media refutes Jindal allegations
MUMBAI: Last week, the Election Commission of India (ECI) had on a complaint filed by Congress member of parliament Naveen Jindal, asked the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) to take action against Zee Media Corporation.
Jindal alleged that Zee News and Zee Business had been airing defamatory, false and misleading news items about him and his company Jindal Steel and Power. Now, the broadcaster has sent petitions to both, the ECI and the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) to restrain Jindal from defaming the channel through social media on a matter that is pending before the NBSA.
The network claims that it is being targeted by Jindal through social media. Another petition was filed to highlight that a section of the media was publishing incorrect and irrelevant information on the matter against Zee Media.
It is also in the process of filing its response to a notice that had been sent to it by the NBSA on request by the ECI for which it had been given a deadline of 14 days.
The company spokesperson stated, “As a responsible media house, we will surely address the issue and will share all relevant information with the NBSA. We will also provide the association with all relevant evidence as and when required by it.” The channel says it had recently covered an incident of a heated conversation between Jindal and local people during his election campaign.
Zee Media and Naveen Jindal have been embroiled in a fight since 2012 when Jindal accused the channel of asking him for a bribe to not telecast a negative story about him. Recently, Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni also filed a case against Zee Media for airing defamatory remarks about his involvement in the IPL scam.
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.
