News Broadcasting
Zee Media ropes in Mona Jain as new chief revenue officer
Mumbai: Zee Media Corporation Ltd, has onboarded Mona Jain- a veteran media professional, as the new chief revenue officer for all of its 14 news channel properties. She is all set to head the revenue generation, stakeholder engagement, and strategic investments across different channels of Zee Media.
With 30 years of expertise in media marketing and promotions, Zee Media will also involve Jain in business growth and partnerships through strategic decisions, and steer leadership on behalf of the sales team of all TV channels of Zee Media.
Jain started her career way back in 1989 as a media manager at Hindustan Thompson Associates and held the positions of executive director and media director at Cheil Communications and Mudra Communications. Prior to her ABP Network stint in November 2019, Jain had spent six years in Zee Entertainment Enterprise Ltd. (ZEEL), serving as executive vice president – ad sales. This is her second stint with the Zee group.
Speaking of joining the team, Jain said, “I am extremely happy to join back the Zee family and this time round in the news genre. It’s an exciting space and the news network has some very strong and credible content and channels with ample opportunity to innovate and create differentiated revenue opportunities by providing some groundbreaking solutions and be a part of our advertising partners’ growth stories. Zee Media is present across significant geographies with the highest reach and an extensive loyal viewer base. I look forward to being part of this strong legacy and working with a highly talented and experienced team.”
Speaking on the new appointment, ZMCL CBO Abhay Ojha said, “We have immense faith in the expertise that Jain brings to the table. The appointment of Jain as the new chief revenue officer will surely accelerate 5X growth and revenue for the brand and take it to greater heights with each passing day.”
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.
