News Broadcasting
Animax Asia to target youth with new image
MUMBAI: Animax Asia is all set to refresh its image in order to target youth aged 15 to 24, and mature viewers with a youthful attitude. The new look Animax will hit television screens on 1 June.
The channel announced today that as part of the its new look, it will be streamlining its programme structure to target this market segment, as well as introducing a creative campaign, Imagine-Nation, to capture the imaginative minds of the youth market.
“Like all entertainment genres, animation continues to evolve, and we have noticed that the animation from Japan is moving towards a more youth-driven demographic. Animax too must move ahead with current trends to provide viewers with the coolest entertainment,” said SPE Networks – Asia vice president Animax, programming and production Betty Tsui.
In line with the channel’s commitment to bringing the latest, hottest animation from Japan to its target audiences, helming the refresh programme this summer are two blockbuster animations, God Save Our King and Trinity Blood. Viewers can also expect unique programme content covering a wide variety of themes and styles in the next few months, including the latest Inuyasha: Fire on the Mystic Island, Paradise Kiss, Honey & Clover, Black Cat and Girl from Hell amongst others.
The new initiative Imagine-Nation will roll out together with the channel refreshment. The Imagine-Nation project is Animax’s showcase of successful or famous people from the region who are connected to the creative world of games, film, anime and design. This project also features those who dared to let their imagination lead them to success and fame.
A host of talent, including local animation guru Nickson Fong and StickFas Toys founder Bany J from Singapore, and India’s first F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan will share their visions and inspirations with viewers in a series of candid interviews.
Fong said, “I am excited to be able to share my passion with youth through the Imagine-Nation project. Hopefully, this will inspire some local talent to go into designing, animation or film-making as a career choice, and take the burgeoning animation industry in Singapore to new heights.”
Tsui added, “Like imagination and creativity, Anime is more than an art form. Anime is inspiring, innovative, unique and always on the edge. It is a lifestyle. We hope that the new Animax will inspire our youths to live out their dreams.”
She further said that with the refreshed look of the channel, viewers will now be able to enjoy more edgy anime programmes that are most suited to their lifestyles, and viewers can certainly look forward to greater ‘out-of-the-box’ activities and off-air offerings to experience the ultimate animation lifestyle Animax presents.
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.
