News Broadcasting
Zeel’s Amit Goenka awarded 21st Century Icon Awards at House of Lords
Mumbai: Zeel president – digital business and platforms Amit Goenka was awarded the 21st Century Icon Awards at House of Lords, London for his contribution to the growth of the media & entertainment Industry.
Organized by Squared Watermelon Ltd, the 21st Century Icon Awards are organised every year to support and promote the next generation of inspiring leaders as well as offer them a platform to showcase their achievements in their respective fields. Goenka was chosen in the “Outstanding Media & Entertainment Award” category for pioneering the digital business at Zee.
Goenka has been instrumental in spearheading the growth of Zee5, the company’s streaming platform and “catapulting the company into its next phase of growth, by aggressively expanding its footprint in the international arena and driving data and technology to build a truly robust consumer experience across digital screens.”
“Winning in the Outstanding Media & Entertainment category is not just a recognition of our success, it is a firm testament of the consistent hard work put in by our teams. Together, we have built the digital businesses and platforms of Zee Entertainment to be at the forefront of ushering in the next era of entertainment for new-age consumers across connected devices,” said Goenka. “At Zee, our sharp focus is on creating engaging content supported by parallel investments in technology and talent, leading to a robust offering and delightful consumer experiences across languages. I am confident that our digital businesses are well poised for immense success in the future and such acknowledgements will further fuel our passion and the strife for higher growth and success going forward.”
Squared Watermelon president and chief executive officer Tarun Ghulati and co-founder and chief creative officer Preeti Rana said the 21st Century Icon Awards endeavour to appreciate and bring forth the next generation of business leaders who have played a major role in transforming their company. “Amit Goenka is a prolific business personality who is a role model for the next generation of leaders and it is our honour to recognise his contribution to the business fraternity and add his name to our prestigious list of past winners,” Ghulati said.
Conducted annually, the prestigious 21st Century Icon Awards judges business leaders on attributes such as personal integrity, impact, spirit, financial acumen, influence and community along with humbleness.
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.
