News Broadcasting
Cable Quest to hold seminar on broadcast technology & regulations
MUMBAI: Broadcast magazine Cable Quest is attempting to educate everyone concerned with the various aspects of the new developments in broadcasting through a seminar to be held in Jaipur on 23 February.
The seminar will have several informed and eminent experts from the industry speaking on the following subjects:
(a) HFC networks
(b) DTH redressal (TDSAT and dispute)
(c) Broadband Networks for convergence era
(d) Internet on cable generation
(e) Upgradation of networks
(f) Government (policies & taxation]
(g) Trai (regulations and dispute)
(h) Customer care
(i) Value addition and revenue
Those among the speakers are Cable Quest chief editor Colonel KK Sharma, COFI president Roop Sharma, Vikas Kapoor from COMMSCOPE Cable (USA) and Ram Bhadran from Sify. The seminar will have participants from various segments of the Industry including representatives of cable operators, MSOs, distributors, broadcasters, advertisers and other important members of the public.
The seminar will provide a platform for discussions on cable pricing, connectivity, technological upgradation and government policies. An interactive session with the consumers of the Industry will also be held. Overall, the seminar has been organised to serve as an excellent guide to the last mile operators in keeping up with the new rules and technologies and knowing where they stand in context with these changes.
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.
