News Broadcasting
Cartoon Network introduces mobile TV in Italy
MUMBAI: Turner has signed its first mobile broadcasting agreement for Cartoon Network. As per this Italian mobile operator 3 will distribute Cartoon Network to its videophone subscribers.
The arrangement will offer 3’s users the opportunity to watch a daily block of Cartoon Network programming on their videophones.
Through the new service with “3”, Cartoon Network’s Italian fans will be the first in the world able to live the network’s experience through their videophones. Courtesy of third-generation mobile technology, known as UMTS, a daily block of Cartoon Network will be broadcast live and then replayed throughout the day.
3’s subscribers will be able to enjoy episodes of The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory, Ed, Edd n Eddy – and many other Cartoon Network shows – wherever they are – whenever they want. Viewers will pay 0.90 Euro cents for every five minutes of viewing.
Cartoon Network’s existing mobile portfolio already includes games, wallpapers and ringtones. The content has broad distribution around the world in more than 30 countries to over 50 mobile operators. This deal with “3” represents the first for Cartoon Network to distribute portions of its TV channel. The company is in discussions with additional operators worldwide for similar services. Turner currently distributes its CNN 24-hour news channel to mobile phone users in Austria, The Netherlands, Finland, Sweden and Australia.
Turner Broadcasting System International VP for wireless and emerging technology Mitch Lazar added, “This agreement once again confirms how the value of the Cartoon Network brand and its characters are fully integrated into contemporary culture. Our cartoons are able to reach targets of every age in different ways: from TV to consumer products, from PC to telephony and to all new communication means”.
Cartoon Network Mobile is Turner Broadcasting System’s service for mobile devices. Launched in 2001, the service offers content based on its shows and characters. The content includes java games, ringtones and wallpapers compatible with WAP and i-mode devices as well as SMS. Cartoon Network’s java games has been developed by Macrospace. Cartoon Network Mobile is available in over 30 countries to more than 50 operators.
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.
