News Broadcasting
SIGMA 2003 off to a great beginning
MUMBAI: The first day of Sigma 2003 organised by The International School of Business and Media, Pune (ISB&M) in close collaboration with MAMI as part of the International Film Festival got off to a rousing start.
The seminar was inaugurated by Govt. of Maharashtra secretary and MAMI Trustee Govind Swaroop. Stalwarts from various fields of media discussed a number of topics affecting the industry today in this particular forum.
(L to R) Leslee Udwin, Govind Swaroop, Dr. Pramod Kumar, Akash Khurana and Nandan Khudyadi during the inauguration of SIGMA 2003
According to ISB&M president Dr. Pramod Kumar, “MAMI being the international Film Festival we mutually discovered that in the new era of changes in the film industry, corporatization theme is most appropriate.” He further added that commitment to commercial returns to the investor and therefore film completion guarantee is the key to professionalising the industry.”
British Actress and Producer of East is East Leslee Udwin delivered the keynote address. According to Udwin, “It is difficult but not impossible to break the existing mould and bring out something new. The most important part of a film is the story and you need to feel strong about the story.” She also spoke about her reincarnation in life and career as a theatre actress. Nimbus CEO Akash Khurana spoke on “Mind set Change” – the mantra for Media Corporatisation.
KPMG Corporate Finance executive director Rajesh Jain who also spoke on “Mind set Change” emphasised on seven aspects namely: script evaluation, pre-market survey, savings, financial cost reduction, risk reward sharing, documentation and exhibition and distribution.
The first day also saw eminent personalities speak on various topics like production consultant and production manager for the Oscar winning movie ‘Gandhi’ Alex de Grunwald, United India Ltd. consultant Ajit Gupta and Rajesh Jain spoke on the topic “Mind Set Change.” Adlabs Chairman Manmohan Shetty spoke on “New Cinema and Multiplexes.”
Coulmbia Tristar head publicity and acquisition Vikramjit Roy, producer and film-maker Rajat Kapoor, E-City CEO Atul Goel, Mukta Arts CEO Pankaj Sethi had a panel discussion on “Entertainment Destination – Multiplexes.” Leo Entertainment GM Sanjay Bhutiani spoke extensively on “Brand Placement in Movies” and so on.
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.
