News Broadcasting
amfAR HOLDS INAUGURAL INDIA GALA
MUMBAI : Some of the most distinguished figures in Indiansociety joined Sharon Stone, Hilary Swank, AbhishekBachchan, AishwaryaRaiBachchan, amfAR Chairman Kenneth Cole,amfAR CEO Kevin Robert Frost, and Cyrus Poonawalla, Ph.D. last night at the inaugural amfAR India gala in support of amfAR’s innovative AIDS research programs.
The black tie event, held at The TajMahal Palace Hotel, featured a cocktail reception, dinner, and a gold-themed fashion show featuring exclusive looks by RohitBal, Abu Jani-SandeepKhosla, and TarunTahiliani with jewels by Azva, TarunTahiliani for Azva, Symetree, and Amrapali. The evening concluded with a high-energy performance by pop sensation Ke$ha, whosesongs including her hits “Animal,” “We R Who We R,” and “TikTok,” had guests dancing into the night.
amfAR CEO Kevin Robert Frost invited actress and producer Hilary Swank to the stage at the exclusive event. Ms. Swank gave opening remarks and introduced amfAR Chairman Kenneth Cole, who spoke about amfAR’s global HIV/AIDS eradication initiatives and the important role of research in ending the epidemic. Bollywood luminaries AbhishekBachchan and AishwaryaRaiBachchan also addressed the more than 300 guests in attendance. In a highlight of the evening, amfAR Global Fundraising Chairman Sharon Stone took the stage and made an impassioned call to action to the many business and cultural heavyweights in the room, saying “There isn’t a family who has not been touched by AIDS.”
Other notable guests included Neeta Ambani, Anuj Gupta, Rocky Malhotra, VenugopalDhoot, VikramChatwal, Lisa Haydon, Dimple Kapadia, Parmeshwar Godrej, NargisFakhri, SonalChauhan, Torquhil Campbell, Duke of Argyll, Dino Morea, and NanditaMahtani, among many others.
amfAR India was made possible by Presenting Sponsor Cyrus Poonawalla, Signature Sponsors LoveGold and Delta Air Lines, Automotive Partner BMW, and Partner Chivas.
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.
