News Broadcasting
BVITV (APAC) announces agreement with Hong Kong cable
MUMBAI: Buena Vista International Television Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP) has concluded its first features agreement for first-run movies with Hong Kong Cable.
Subscribers of Hong Kong Cable will be able to watch first-run features such as Pearl Harbor, Kiss of the Dragon, and The Royal Tenenbaums. This announcement was made today by BVITV-AP vice president and general manager Steve Macallister and Hong Kong Cable controller, program development and production Felix To.
Commented Macallister, “We are delighted to be able to broaden our relationship with Hong Kong Cable who will now have access to a wide range of our internationally successful features. We are confident that our schedule-driving movies will contribute to HK Cables continued success as the territorys leading pay TV platform.”
Commented Felix To, “This agreement comes at a time when Hong Kong Cable is increasing its content and productions. We are glad that these wonderful titles have been brought to our viewers as part of an array of exciting new TV.”
Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Michael Bay, Pearl Harbour dramatises the infamous day that jolted America from peaceful isolationism to total war in an epic tale of patriotism, passion and romance. Grossing $ 450 million worldwide, Pearl Harbour focuses on the life-changing events surrounding 7 December, 1941 and the wars devastating impact on two daring young pilots and a beautiful, dedicated nurse.
Martial arts and cinema action superstar Jet Li and visionary filmmaker Luc Besson join forces on Kiss of the Dragon.
The Royal Tenenbaums, the critically acclaimed, quirky adult comedy about a family of dysfunctional geniuses, stars Gene Hackman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelica Huston and Danny Glover and is directed by Wes Anderson.
For BVITV-AP the agreement was negotiated by Asia Pacific regional director of sales Joyce Yeung and Asia Pacific sales manager Mark Chan.
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.
