News Broadcasting
Balaji’s net profit down 3.5 %
MUMBAI: For the financial year ended 31 March, 2003, Balaji Telefilms has posted a net profit of Rs 554.08 million, down from Rs 574.14 million; a decrease of 3.50 per cent.
Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Balaji Telefilms Ltd CFO V Devarajan elucidates, “Well, this has been a flat year for the company as it has been a year of consolidation. The company this year has invested a lot of time and money in infrastructure and setting up of systems to ensure that the coming years see an increase in standards of shows and quality of programming from the Balaji stable.”
There’s been a big jump in depreciation from Rs 42.43 million in 2002-2003 to Rs 77.36 million in 2003 – 2004. The Rs 34.93 million increase is because the production house has made major investments in studios, equipments and sets. Devarajan adds, “These investments will ensure a reduction in our operating cost, as the cost of outsourcing and hiring will come down by a big margin.”
Balaji has also reported a hike in other incomes which has seen an increase of Rs 46.62 million from the previous year. The reason for the increase is a change in the investment strategy the company follows. The CFO states, “Considering all our major investments were in the debt market across various mutual funds, and the fact that the debt market was not doing well, we decided to redeem them and reinvest it in short term funds, which reaped very good returns for the company.”
Operational highlights during the year ended 31 March 2004:
-Realisation per hour from Commissioned Programming increased from Rs 1.50 mn to Rs 1.77 mn, an increase of 18 per cent.
-Investment of over Rs 91.8 million in production & post-production equipments and studios.
-Recommends final dividend of Re 1 per share (50 per cent on par value of Rs 2 per share) amounting to Rs. 51.5 million. Total Dividend for the year of Rs 3 per share (150 per cent on par value of Rs 2 per share) amounting to Rs 154.5 million.
-Cash and Cash Equivalents of Rs 770.5 million as on 31 March, 2004.
Well, some may call it sustenance, and others may call it stability, but the fact of the matter is, Balaji Telefilms for the first time has reported a negligible margin of profit. With all the new and existing players gearing up their acts, its going to be no easy play for India’s leading production house
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.
