News Broadcasting
Cartoon Network to create new toon – gets viewers into the act
MUMBAI: So far, it has sourced content from Indian animation companies and has begun to speak Hindi at almost all hours of the day. Now, Cartoon Network takes the localisation fetish to new heights.
In an innovative initiative timed to coincide with the rollout of conditional access in the country, Cartoon Network has announced the first interactive contest that will enable viewers to create a cartoon character to be developed into an animation short for the channel. The show in turn will be produced by a local Indian company.
For eight weeks beginning this month, Cartoon Network will visit over 600,000 kids in 600 schools in six cities, selling the Next Big Toon concept, enticing children to pick up pen and paper and apply their minds to creating a unique cartoon character, which could be man, animal, robot or just about anything. Help for the accompanying drawings and storyboard will be available at the channel’s website www.cartoonnetworkindia.com.
Among the panel of art experts and teachers culled from around the country, is former UTV Toons president Ram Mohan. Turner Entertainment Network’s senior vice president and general manager Ian Diamond says a local Indian animation company will also be given the charge of producing the one off animation short that will be aired on the channel in December 2003.
“The idea,” says Diamond, “is to balance entertainment with a positive way of thinking.” Consequently, an integrated marketing plan spanning on-air, online and on-ground events will support the promotion, with associate sponsor Hewlett Packard providing its outlets for participants to download forms, practise their drawings and learn the rudiments of creating an animation character. The Network will also air special interstitials giving tips to help kids create their toon star.
While the targeted age group for the competition is the one between eight and 14, Diamond says with the varied viewership of the channel, even elders watching Cartoon Network are eligible to participate. Five runners up will also have their moment of glory with vignettes on the channel and consolation prizes of a HP Compaq personal computer. The Network has already tied in Joyco as the presenting sponsor for Next Big Toon, while Laughing Cow Cheese, HP Compaq, Kellogg’s Chocos and Atlas Cycles are the associate sponsors.
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.
