News Broadcasting
India Today Group’s vice-chairperson, Kalli Purie, gets global recognition
MUMBAI: Ms. Kalli Purie, Vice-Chairperson of India Today Group, was conferred upon the ‘India’s Most Powerful Women in Media’ award at the famed Confluence Excellence awards at the British Parliament on September 27th. It is noteworthy, that only two weeks back, she was also honored with the ‘Outstanding Media & Entertainment Award’ at the annual 21st Century Icon Awards in London.
Accepting the global recognition, Ms. Kalli Purie said, "It is very satisfying to be recognized internationally for the work we are doing at the India Today Group. In many fields like creating content for mobile and social we are leaders in the world. Its exciting and daunting to create prototypes for media around the world to follow.
Handling a business with a golden legacy in an industry that is changing at an unprecedented pace can be very challenging. But I have followed a mantra by our chairman Mr. Aroon Purie in one of his letters from the editor – 'Men Age, Magazines don't', which I believe today is ever more relevant. This made us see what others saw as dark turmoil as a window of shining opportunity. We have taken the solid foundation and diversified in a way befitting the original DNA of our organization."
A graduate from Oxford University, the UK in Politics, Philosophy & Economics, Kalli Purie is armed with a clear vision about the future of news, she is leading one of the most-awarded and celebrated team of journalists in a futuristic newsroom that she helped build, apt for the multimedia, multi-device world we live in. A serial entrepreneur, she brings a rich experience in running a wide range of media properties- from 5 television channels Aaj Tak, Aaj Tak HD, India Today Television, Dilli Aaj Tak, Tez, apps, a digital newspaper, championing world-class events, to devising a social media strategy for the group. She is also the lead for all signature, thought leadership events of the group – The India Today Conclave, Agenda Aaj Tak, Safaigiri, Sahitya Aaj Tak, India Today Mind Rocks, Panchayat Aaj Tak, India Today Global Roundtable and many more. Her unified leadership in television, digital and events is the cornerstone for the successful synergy in the Group.
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.
