News Broadcasting
Cinevista pulls itself together again in Q3
Cinevista Communications’ Q3 results paint a rosier picture than they did in the previous quarters of this fiscal.
The company that had posted net losses of Rs 20.32 million in Q2 2001, has managed to turn its fortunes by declaring a small, yet net profit of Rs 1.11 million in the quarter just ended. Whether the turnaround in its fortunes can be attributed to a change in nomenclature (the company changed from Cinevista Communications to Cinevistaas Limited on 20 December, 2001) cannot be proved, but it has definitely managed to pull itself out of the red – the company had been consistently posting losses for the last three quarters. It is now looking up again – with Sanjivani and Shhh Koi Hai airing on Star Plus and a feature film Yeh Mohabbat Hai, due for release shortly.
The company has cut down significantly on administrative costs (Rs 1.10 million in Q3 2001 as against Rs 2.51 million in Q3 2000), while cost of production and telecast charges too have come down from Rs 77.6 million to Rs 48.9 million in the corresponding third quarters of 2000 and 2001.
The company’s realisation from serials has taken a beating though, with revenues slipping to Rs 46.54 million from Rs 87.97 million in the same quarter last year. Its income from other sources has however seen a rise from Rs 12.15 million in Q3 2000 to Rs 17.70 million in Q3 2001.
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.
