News Broadcasting
Celebrate Freedom on 15th August with ‘Zee Business Brandstand’
MUMBAI: As India prepares to celebrate its 67th Independence Day, Zee Business a part of Zee Media Corporation Limited, India’s largest news network announces the launch of its first ever and biggest property of the year ‘Zee Business Brandstand’ a television series that will focus on brands. This unique platform will also bring brands, and people together. The show will provide viewers with a unique insider’s view of brands as it stands.
What more! To mark the celebration of freedom, ‘Zee Business Brandstand’ is to kick off on 15th August, 2014 which is to invite creative participation from across genres / viewers based on the theme of Indian Independence and what according to them freedom means. It is also to salute and reward such creative ideas that revolve within while articulating them.
Creative entries can be submitted as posters, illustrations etc via online (participants to share their creative material in jpeg format at brandstand@zeemedia.esselgroup.com) and that will be evaluated by a panel of doyens of the advertising industry.
Speaking on this occasion, Zee Media CEO Samir Ahluwalia said, “Creativity knows no bounds, and it remains dormant unless challenged. At Zee Business we take this plunge by inviting, including, and involving people to take a shot at creativity that just might fire some big ideas. We hope that through Zee Business Brandstand we will have the opportunity to witness some of the brave ideas or thoughts.”
Winner(s) of the contest will have a chance to be a part of show on the 15 August eve who will have a chance to share their thoughts that has inspired them to such a creative rendition and will also have chance to win exciting prizes.
So, let your creative juices flow and let your visual imagery create a lasting imprint.
Participants can send in their entries at brandstand@zeemedia.esselgroup.com and the last date to submit entries is 12 August, 2014.
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.
