News Broadcasting
Crest Animation’s ‘Jakers!’ bags Bafta award
MUMBAI: Crest Animation Studios’ Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks has won the The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) Award for Best Animated Series in the International Category.
Crest Animation Studios produced the computer generated imaging (CGI) animation for Jakers and has produced two series of the same, comprising 26 and 14 episodes. It is currently producing the third series of 12 episodes.
The annual Bafta Awards reach out not only to film and programme makers whose expertise is recognised but also to children who are mobilised to vote for their favorite film via the Bafta Kids Vote. This is done through a nationwide poll, which is promoted on CBBC and CiTV websites and supported by free screenings at 20 Cineworld sites as part of their Cineworld Movies for Juniors programme.
Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks is a sophisticated, 3D, computer animated series that follows the adventure of a spunky eight-year-old pig named Piggley and his friends Dunnun the Duck and Ferny the Bull, who live on a farm in Ireland.
Crest Animation Studios CEO A K Madhavan said, “It is a matter of great pride for us to be recognised for our quality of work by one of the most powerful body representing the British Film and Television Industry. We have won accolades for our work in the past through the Apsara Award for Tenali Rama and a nomination for one of the most prestigious awards in the animation industry – the Annie Awards – for Jakers! It is a special feeling though, to be one of the best amongst the international players.”
Crest Animation Studios is moving steadily ahead on its way to become a globally recognised CGI animation studio. Its US based subsidiary, RichCrest Animation (RCA), and Lions Gate Entertainment (LGE) have announced a three-picture co-production and co-financing arrangement to produce three top-quality, state-of-the-art animated feature films for worldwide theatrical release.
RCA and LGE would equally share the cost of production, as well as the profits. The rights to the first film under the agreement – Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, based on the caldecott medal-winning story by William Steig (the creator of the blockbuster Shrek) have been acquired, and the film is in development.
The other nominees in this category included Atomic Betty (Breakthrough Animation and CiTV), Black Hole High (Fireworks and Jetix) and Miss Spiders Sunny Patch Friends (Absolute Pictures, Nelvana and Five).
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.
