News Broadcasting
Anigraph 2004 : Day 1 is TUTOR FEST !
MUMBAI: Animation and 3D aficionados are having a ball these days! If it was CgA World, last month, which had software makers wooing students, then this month it is Anigraph.
The event organised by the Mumbai chapter of ACM Siggraph received a good reception in its inaugural sessions. With the participants mostly comprising students, the atmosphere was lively and abuzz with interactivity.
The keynote address was delivered by 16 December and Rudraksha fame Mani Shankar, who aptly pointed out what ails the Indian animation industry today. “The future is bright for the animation industry and yet, important hurdles need to be overcome. The animation Industry has grown incredibly in the last few years, yet mindsets of a few, who hold the key reins of power have not changed,” offered Shankar in a nutshell.
“There is a widespread appreciation for the quality and finesse of our work. The west has started outsourcing content from India. The future is bright, and yet something is lacking. The circle is incomplete. Animation of films has still not taken of in India. A measly two-three effects laden films cannot compete with the 100 odd films minus animation that are churned out,” he offered.
“The Indian film industry has not been able to get its act together as far as animation is concerned. They think nothing of spending crores on ridiculous costumes and song-n-dance routines. It is the same people who think of SFX as something that can be done on the editing table after the movie has been shot!” he elaborated.
One topic that Shankar missed out completely was about television industry in India and how it is doing nothing to encourage animation industry.
Here is a quick update of what happened at the venue:
CLOCKWORK:
One of the positive points of the day was the highly unusual punctuality, with which the organizers stuck to their schedules.
ROLLER COASTER:
It was a day that played a havoc on the emotions of the animation enthusiasts. It was a delight when Discreet’s Aby Matthews took the stage to enlighten the audience on the Digital Intermediate process but when the session titled “Texturing 3D in Photoshop” became a “Welcome to Photoshop CS” it soured the mood rather quickly.
NOTEWORTHY:
Amongst things noteworthy were the students showreel presented by MAAC (Maya academy of advance cinematics) CEO Rajesh Turakhiya. One of the sequences in the showreel was so professionally executed that it was
hard to believe that it was done by students. Those 40 odd seconds of brilliant animation were the ‘highlight’ of the day.
CENTRE STAGE:
The session by Ramesh Meer on 3D Stereoscopy was interesting, informative and interactive. Not preferring to stick to the podium, Meer strode the stage in true cowboy style a’la spaghetti westerns. He spoke on anaglyph and polaroid technology and encouraged the audience to come up with questions, which he retorted to with his trademark wit and humor.
TRADE FAIR OR TUTOR FEST?:
While the organisers at both CgA and Anigraph have done their best to get the industry under one roof, a lone sad fact continues to nag. One fails to understand the reason as to why the big studios shy away from such good events. The potential trade fairs continue to remain a platform for
the software vendors and makers to communicate directly to students.
With two more days to go at Anigraph, there is a lot that could transpire. Meer announcing the end of day one said that while day one was full of tutorials, day two in addition to the tutorials would also be devoted to the business of animation.
We are all eyes….
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.
