News Broadcasting
France 24 launches maiden HD service on AsiaSat 5
MUMBAI: France 24 has launched its first HD service in the world on AsiaSat 5. This marks a milestone for the expanded partnership between France 24 and AsiaSat and their continued commitment to bringing quality international television from France to the Asia-Pacific.
France 24 and AsiaSat have been partners since 2009 when France 24 launched its English language news channel into Asia. In 2010, France 24 further expanded its service with the addition of its French channel on AsiaSat 5. Through AsiaSat 5, France 24 now has access to more than 60 million TV households and close to 300,000 hotel guest rooms in Asia through key carriage agreements with major Asian cable networks, DTH and IPTV platforms, and hotels.
Broadcasting since 1 September, this new HD service transmits free-to-air in English, offering Asian viewers a brand new viewing experience of high quality culture, international news and current events from a French perspective.
Receive France 24’s HD and SD channels free-to-air on AsiaSat 5 (100.5°E) in C-band with the following reception parameters:
|
Reception Parameters |
FRANCE 24 HD |
FRANCE 24 SD (English & French channels) |
|---|---|---|
|
Transponder |
C11H |
C10H |
|
Downlink Frequency |
4040 MHz |
4000 MHz |
|
Downlink Polarisation |
Horizontal |
Horizontal |
|
Transmission Standard |
DVB-S2 |
DVB-S |
|
Compression Standard |
MPEG-4 |
MPEG-2 |
|
Modulation |
8PSK |
QPSK |
|
Symbol Rate |
29.72 Msym/sec |
28.125 Msym/sec |
|
FEC |
5/6 |
3/4 |
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.
