News Broadcasting
Zee meets but no deal on NewsX
MUMBAI: Subhash-Chandra promoted Zee Network has decided not to acquire NewsX after having met to explore possibilities of acquiring the English news channel.
NewsX would have offered Zee an entry into the English news channel business. The attraction of acquiring the loss-making channel at a low price and enjoying tax benefit initiated discussions for a possible deal.
“We met but are not acquiring NewsX,” a source familiar with the development said.
A deal for Zee makes sense if it comes at a very low valuation. Zee News Ltd, which runs a clutch of news channels including Hindi news channel Zee News, Zee Business (Hindi business news channel), 24 Taas (Marathi) and Zee 24 Gantalu (Telugu), has been mulling launch of an English news channel but has been cautious of not overstretching itself.
NewsX is currently owned by Nai Duniya owner Vinay Chhajlani and the former editor of Business World Jehangir Pocha, after they bought it in 2009 from INX.
Zee News Ltd. chief executive officer Barun Das did not want to comment on the issue.
The English news space is occupied by Times Now, NDTV 24×7, CNN-IBN and Headlines Today.
ZNL needn’t be in a hurry to have an English news channel as the market is bad. They are focused on their operating margins and they didn’t disturb that. Unless, of course, they get a channel to acquire at a lucrative price and benefit from taxes. They already have a studio and can cut down on costs while upping revenues from their bouquet strength,” said a media analyst.
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.
