News Broadcasting
AFI’s television event to showcase shows produced for tech-enabled TV audiences
LOS ANGELES: This is an event that aims at showcasing advanced television programming. On 2 December, the American Film Institute will conduct its annual Enhanced TV Workshop (AFI eTV). The event is in its sixth year.
An official release informs that consumer spending on extended cable and satellite services is surging. Digital video recorders seem poised to replace the VCR. Retail purchases of high definition TVs are predicted to skyrocket in 2004. TV viewers want the more powerful entertainment experience that digital technologies offer. AFI Enhanced TV explores how advancing technologies change the experience of watching and producing TV.
The workshop is a research and development environment. Its goal is to prepare the television creative community for digital, interactive broadcast storytelling through a hands-on prototype production process.
It will debut the results of its most recent production season. It will unveil eight broadcast-capable think pieces utilising existing and soon-to-be-available enhanced TV technologies. Some of the shows include ABC’s Celebrity Mole, US public broadcaster PBS’ Independent Lens and Disney’s Kim Possible. Among the more than 50 participating eTV design and production companies are Beyond Z, Goldpocket Interactive, Autonomt, ICTV, NDS Americas, Schematic, Zetools.
AFI brings the television production community together with leaders in the creation of digital content for TV. AFI claims that its creative environment provides professional consulting, support and “mentoring” by world-class leaders in content production, interactive technologies, design, business and distribution. Issues influencing and accelerating the development of this new medium in the US and internationally are identified and addressed within the AFI programme. The result is advanced production work which serves show producers, networks and the community as a whole.
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.
