News Broadcasting
Catvision undergoes restructuring
MUMBAI: Catvision, a provider of cable TV and broadband networking products and services to the cable television and hospitality industry, has initiated a restructuring of its operations into two main divisions: cable television equipment (CATV) and interactive television systems (ITV).
The two businesses of the company, namely sales of cable television equipment and sales of interactive television systems, are expected to grow with the implementation of the conditional access system (CAS). The CATV division develops manufactures and markets networking equipment used in cable television system wherein the major client base is cable operators.
In the cable television sphere, the competition from direct-to-home (DTH) is expected to trigger digitalization of cable networks in India. It is expected to provide a huge hardware opportunity since this would require large scale upgradation of all existing networks. This in turn would provide a business opportunity for the company.
According to a media market analyst, “In case the cable distribution business becomes more organised with the implementation of CAS, the fortunes of the company will turn.” DTH itself is set to create a massive market for dishes, set top boxes and IF distribution system (for multi-dwelling units), all markets the company can address.
The government’s intention to implement of CAS in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata by 1 January 2007 and also the aggressive launch of DTH services by Dish TV and Tata-Sky, has for the first time provided a serious competitive threat to cable operators. These developments are likely to transform the cable television landscape. The only way forward for cable operators is to digitalize their networks and professionalise their services. Only then they will be in a position to compete with DTH, avers the analyst.
In the US, cable still maintains 80 per cent of the market share. If digitization were to happen – and there is every reason to believe it will – it will throw up an enormous market for digital cable hardware. In addition, manufactures of cable television equipment are equipped to manufacture DTH products since they are technically similar.
To address these above business opportunities Catvision has set up a manufacturing facility at Dehra Dun in Uttar Pradesh for digital cable and DTH products and to expand its marketing operations in ITV and CCTV.
The company has also forayed into security systems, starting with high-end digital CCTV systems targeted at premium hotels and shopping malls, which is driven by the heightened security risk perceived by public institutions from terrorist threat.
The ITV division installs, operates and maintains cable satellite television and interactive television systems. Major customers are premium hotels in India and the Middle East (where the company operates through distributors).
US based KoolConnect Technologies, a supplier for in-room entertainment solutions recently picked up a small stake in Catvision through a preferential allotment.
The tie-up will enable Catvision to offer services like Video On Demand entertainment and information systems, high-speed internet access, virtual concierge services, which has become standard in premium hotels the world over. Interestingly, the company has secured a contract with the Hyatt group of hotels to provide multimedia interactive products and services.
The company has also joined hands with a UK based firm Dedicated Micros, worldwide provider for CCTV surveillance applications and will be offering their systems in India. With this tie-up, the company believes it can address another emerging segment — shopping malls, which also have concerns of security.
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.
