News Broadcasting
Al Jazeera English in pact with Hong Kong Cable
MUMBAI: News channel Al Jazeera English has announced a new deal with one of Asia’s leading cable operators, Hong Kong Cable for the channel to broadcast in Hong Kong. Al Jazeera will debut on Hong Kong Cable on 16 January 2008, and will be carried as Channel 34 on the platform.
The channel claims to reach over 100 million households worldwide. Al Jazeera English says that it is dedicated to building its presence across Asia to give viewers access to its content. The channel’s editorial mission to transform global news is supported in Asia by its Kuala Lumpur Broadcast Centre, dozens of Asian bureaus and correspondents that include household names such as news anchors Veronica Pedrosa and Teymoor Nabili.
Hong Kong Cable executive director Benjamin Tong says, ” News has always been our flagship programme and the addition of Al Jazeera will further enhance the width and depth of our news service with the channel’s unique content and perspective. I have little doubt that the channel will be welcomed by our viewers.” Al Jazeera English also has a dedicated page on YouTube.
Al Jazeera Network’s director of global distribution Phil Lawrie said, “We are excited about reaching a sizeable new audience in this important market and working with an established and industry-leading partner. This agreement underlines the importance of the Asian region to our next phase of growth, and we are looking forward to a long and highly successful relationship with Hong Kong Cable.”
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.
