News Broadcasting
DD-DW co-production ‘Mumbai’ takes close look at India’s city of gold
MUMBAI: A documentary on the city of Mumbai co-produced by pubcaster Prasar Bharati and German television channel Deutsche Welle (DW) is soon to be telecast on national broadcaster Doordarshan.
The documentary titled (no prizes for guessing) Mumbai, which was co-produced for DW’s Transtel series Connecting Cultures, was presented to the media today at Mumbai’s Doorshan Kendra at an official screening precided over by Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma.
Mumbai was shot entirely in India’s commercial capital. The production of the documentary was jointly managed by Dr Stephan Kaemph of DW and Mumbai Doordarshan Kendra director Mukesh Sharma. Post production was completed at DW’s studios in Berlin.
DW will be dubbing the documentary in German, Arabic, English, Russian and some other languages. Prasar Bharati will be telecasting the documentary in English and Hindi and dubbing it into other regional languages as well.
Speaking about his experiences in making the hour-long film, Sharma said, “The USP of the documentary is that the world over broadcasting is getting very expensive and for a pubic broadcaster, it is not commercially feasible unless there is secured funding. I thought it was a good idea to capitalise on a co-production with the public broadcaster in Germany. Also, it is a very good way of showcasing Mumbai on a global platform. One also had to be very careful not to dwell on the not so attractive side of Mumbai. Although we have managed to weave in the uniqueness and the culture of Mumbai and also encompasses the city in a snapshot. For me, personally it was an excellent way of interacting with another culture and truly a learning experience.”
The shooting of the documentary took place in Mumbai, while the post production took place in Germany.
The MoU to co-produce the show was signed by DW Television MD Cristoph Lanz and Sarma last year.
Sharma said another co-production that was under consideration was to showcase Einstein’s theory of relativity as in 2005 the theory completes 100 years. Here, the show will be shot in Germany and post produced in Mumbai. An excellent way of collaborating crossover resources. Tentatively, the show will be funded by the Planetary Society of India. The format is still unclear and in the process of discussion.
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.
