News Broadcasting
Zee News exposes corruption in Medical Council Of India
New Delhi, 18th October’05 : Zee News, the leading Hindi news channel continues to bring out corrupt individuals of current systems to the public. In an extensive sting operation the Crime Reporter team of Zee News has exposed the corruption prevalent in high places even in the much-regarded ‘Clean’ Institutions like Medical Council of India.
The sting operation was put in action following a tip off about how some corrupt officers in the Medical Council of India (MCI) are bringing it a bad name. The Zee News team had been planning for over 2 months to set the stage for this operation. Armed with hidden cameras and microphones the team went about their mission to capture the modus operandi.
On the guise of setting up a Medical College, the Zee News Team went looking for someone to take the bait. After much searching for the right person, the team finally met up with Dr. K K Arora, a Deputy Secretary at MCI. The initial meeting with Dr. K K Arora was the first step that opened up a can of worms.
Dr. K K Arora got the team introduced to his partner in crime A. S Nayar, Deputy Secretary and Head of Fraud Cell at MCI. As things took shape, the duo made a deal with Zee News team to give out two confidential FIR files of two medical institutes held by MCI for Twenty Lakh Rupees. The officials went a step ahead to offer their other packages. As per the officials a student who had done his MBBS from Russia could get registered through them to start a practice in India for Rs. 5 lakhs. Assuring Zee News team of their clout in the business, the officials hinted of their nexus with Health Ministry.
With the officials caught on camera accepting bribe and the airing of the sting operation on Zee News for the first time on 14/10/2005 in a special programme, ‘Maut Ki Ghoos’, things got rolling. An executive committee meeting of MCI was held today on the issue, which has appointed a 2 member committee to look into the issue, also the two deputy secretaries involved in the matter are suspended with immediate effect. The executive committee has also refereed the matter to CBI for through investigations and in view of claims made by Dr. K K Arora about his links with the Health Ministry the Prime Minister’s office has been informed of the issue, for necessary actions.
Zee News sting operation generated wide public response and appreciation with numerous phone calls and sms messages received, condemning the corrupt officers of MCI and advocating a strict legal action against the guilty.
About Zee News
Zee News, the news and current affairs channel of the Zee group, has taken giant strides ever since its inception in 1992. Reaching millions of viewers in five continents, the channel revolutionized the way news was brought home to the viewers and absorbed by them.
Zee News is a pioneer not just because it was the first private broadcaster news in South Asia but also because it created history in 1999 when it became the first 24 hours news channel of the country.
Keep on watching Zee News for more action.
Media Contacts:
New Delhi/Mumbai
Chetan Saxena/Priyanka Joshi
Saxenac@zeenetwork.com/joshipriyanka@zeenetwork.com
9811323282/9820998151
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.
