Who Owns Zee News? Subhash Chandra, Zee Media Corporation & Essel Group (2026)

Zee News is one of India’s most-watched Hindi news channels — part of the Zee Media Corporation Limited portfolio, which in turn belongs to the wider Essel Group founded by media mogul Subhash Chandra. Following a period of financial stress and complex corporate restructuring, Zee News continues as a major player in India’s competitive Hindi news television market.

Who Owns Zee News?

Zee News is owned by Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL) — a separately listed entity from the main Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL). ZMCL is promoted by the Essel Group, controlled by Subhash Chandra, India’s first satellite TV entrepreneur. The Subhash Chandra family / Essel Group holds a promoter stake in ZMCL. Zee News must be distinguished from the entertainment channel group — ZMCL operates news channels only (Zee News, Zee Business, Zee Hindustan, Zee Rajasthan, WION), while ZEEL operates entertainment channels (Zee TV, &TV, Zee Cinema). The two are separately listed companies under the Essel umbrella.

Subhash Chandra and the Zee Empire

Subhash Chandra (Goenka) launched Zee TV in 1992 — India’s first private satellite TV channel, predating liberalisation. He built India’s largest private broadcast network spanning entertainment, news, movies, and sports. In 2019–2020, the Essel/Zee group faced severe financial stress — Chandra’s personal loans secured against promoter shares triggered margin calls that forced stake sales and complex restructuring. Despite these pressures, Zee News / ZMCL continued operations. The group’s flagship Zee Entertainment later entered a (subsequently aborted) merger agreement with Sony Pictures Networks India in 2021–2023. WION (World Is One News) — Zee Media’s international English news channel — has gained global viewership as a non-Western perspective English news source.