News Broadcasting
Zee Media back in the black as December quarter delivers
Heading- Q3 profit at Rs 61.49 crore as nine month numbers swing positive.
MUMBAI: After years of red ink, Zee Media Corporation Limited appears to have found its headline moment and this time, it is written in black. For the quarter ended 31 December 2025, the network reported revenue from operations of Rs 117.35 crore, marginally higher than Rs 116.96 crore in the September quarter. Total revenue, including other income of Rs 0.94 crore, stood at Rs 118.29 crore.
More significantly, profit before tax for the quarter came in at Rs 60.33 crore, a sharp turnaround from a loss of Rs 26.66 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. After accounting for a deferred tax credit of Rs 1.16 crore, profit after tax stood at Rs 61.49 crore, compared with a loss of Rs 19.95 crore a year ago.
Earnings per share for the quarter were Rs 0.98, reversing the negative Rs 0.32 recorded in the December 2024 quarter.
The improvement was driven by tighter cost controls. Total expenses for the quarter were Rs 140.72 crore, lower than Rs 144.13 crore in the year ago period. Employee benefits expense stood at Rs 44.76 crore, operating costs at Rs 25.51 crore, finance costs at Rs 4.56 crore, depreciation and amortisation at Rs 20.29 crore, and other expenses at Rs 45.60 crore.
For the nine months ended 31 December 2025, revenue from operations reached Rs 458.98 crore, up from Rs 337.40 crore in the same period last year. Total revenue stood at Rs 461.15 crore, including other income of Rs 2.17 crore.
Profit before tax for the nine month period was Rs 27.31 crore, a dramatic swing from a loss of Rs 103.77 crore in the corresponding period of the previous financial year. After a deferred tax charge of Rs 3.94 crore, profit after tax came in at Rs 23.37 crore, compared with a loss of Rs 77.67 crore last year.
Total comprehensive income for the nine month period stood at Rs 23.27 crore.
As of 31 December 2025, the company’s paid up equity share capital was Rs 62.54 crore, with other equity at Rs 364.46 crore.
On the corporate front, the company had incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary, Zeo Media Inc, in Delaware, United States, on 4 April 2024. However, pending Overseas Direct Investment approvals, no investment had been made in the subsidiary till 31 December 2025.
Zee Media’s existing subsidiaries include Zee Akaash News Private Limited, Indiadotcom Digital Private Limited and Pinews Digital Private Limited. It also has associate stakes in Today Merchandise Private Limited and Today Retail Network Private Limited.
While annual figures still reflect the hangover of earlier losses with the year ended 31 March 2025 showing a loss after tax of Rs 100.33 crore, the December quarter’s sharp recovery signals a potential reset. For a network long battling financial headwinds, the latest numbers suggest the narrative may finally be changing from survival to stability.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
