News Broadcasting
Channels seek clarity, relevance from animation producers
MUMBAI: One of the sessions at Frames focused on what content channels like Cartoon Networks, Disney expect from the production houses and studios.
Walt Disney Television International (South East Asia/Korea) VP, MD Raymund Miranda said, “From an editorial perspective the first thing that goes into our minds is does the product you are pitching fit the Disney brand? The Disney brand is family oriented and trustworthy. We have to be custodians of our brand
“The second tick mark is relevance to kids. For instance for our preschool block we check to see if the social and mechanical skills of the child are being addressed. We follow the principle of the whole child curriculum here. The third criteria are the brand values of the proposition being made by the production house. What is the story like? How is it being told? This includes not just the animation quality but also the dubbing, editing. The product should be able to occupy a special place in the heart of our viewers.”
Turner Entertainment Networks Asia executive director programming and acquisitions Marc Buhaj said, “The product must be relevant to the 4-14 year block. I also urge the production houses to study the channels before pitching their products. That way they will get an idea of the direction the channels are moving in and what the different requirements are. The stories should also spark with positive and creative qualities. We also expect that the producer would have fully fleshed out the story idea in terms of the script, the pilot episodes before making the pitch.”
He elaborated on how Cartoon Network works within different cultural contexts. For in the Philippines the American cultural context is prevalent. Therefore shows that succeeded in the US generally fare well there as well. Taiwan has the Japanese cultural context. “So you have Japanese anime like the Miyaki series. In Australia we get more bold and mischievous. For the Queen’s birthday we had our characters not wearing pants. In India launching Pogo allowed to work on the live action platform like the movie Harry Potter. The name Cartoon Network implies just cartoons and nothing else.”
Miranda said that Disney has had success working with local producers in Hong Kong on the interstitial video production Legends of the King of Fire. Each interstitial lasted for around five minutes. Channel ratings went up by 67 per cent and it is now being adopted by other markets. Buhaj added that choosing shows was not just a matter of whether it had enough legs. Scheduling becomes important. “We identify hot spots like Diwali and plan around them. Also when the kids have exams we do not plan premieres.”
Publishing firm Mallard Media Services’ Margaret Donald said that channels had a social responsibility towards kids. “I am disturbed that a lot of violence is being fed to kids under the action tag. Simplicity and integrity are key ingredients that go towards making a classic brand. There is a need for more wholesome material. We are looking to partner with Indian production companies.”
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.
