News Broadcasting
Al Jazeera English hops on to Videocon d2h
MUMBAI: News channel Al Jazeera English in order to expand its reach in the country has hopped on to direct to home (DTH) platform Videocon d2h.
The channel will be placed on channel number 365. Al Jazeera English’s association with Videocon d2h will allow it to cater to its users on the network. Globally, Al Jazeera English is available in nearly 300 million households across 130 countries.
Videocon d2h CEO Anil Khera said, “We are delighted to have Al Jazeera channel on our platform. We believe in providing value proposition to our subscribers and addition of new channels is a resultant of this unique thought. Addition of this channel brings diverse assortment of quality channels for our subscribers.”
Al Jazeera Media Network Global Brand and Communications executive director Abdulla Al Najjar asserted, “We are very pleased with this agreement with Videocon d2h. We have a strategic commitment to employ new avenues and platforms for audiences across the world to access our content and this agreement with Videocond2h expands on that commitment. We look forward to delivering Al Jazeera English’s ground-breaking content for audiences across India on Videocon d2h.”
Videocon d2h executive chairman Saurabh Dhoot added, “We look forward to continue providing unique, comprehensive and compelling content to all of our viewers across the country. The addition of Al Jazeera is in line with this mission of providing quality channels to our mix of diversified subscribers.”
Al Jazeera English was launched in November 2011 in India and is also accessible on other major platforms such as Dish TV, Tata Sky, Reliance and Airtel Digital TV.
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.
