News Broadcasting
DD getting Indo-Pak telecast rights for free: Sarma
NEW DELHI / MUMBAI: Indian pubcaster Prasar Bharati believes it has got the telecast rights for the upcoming “blockbuster” cricket series between Indian and Pakistan for free? That is the way Parsar Bharati CEO K Sarma has read the Madras High Court’s observation in the cricket telecast case.
According to Sarma,As per the court directives, all the money that is generated in the form of advertising would have to be deposited by the board.Sarma pointed out that in effect Doordarshan was getting the matches absolutely free under the present circumstances. He said that the court will decide in what proportion the revenue generated is to be split amongst the various parties concerned.
Doordarshan would be showing the matches on DDs National terrestrial network and DD Sports, which is a satellite channel.
Sarma emphasizes that as per their understanding of the court order DD has exclusive rights for the Indian terrority.
Which raises the pertinent question. The BCCI, by its own admission, has stated that it lost out on revenues to the tune of Rs 1.5 billion due to the telecast of the the previous three fixtures that were held last October-November involving Australia, South Africa and Pakistan (BCCI silver Jubilee ODI) on national broadcaster Doordarshan.
The value that was attached to this particular series was Rs 1.93 billion.If, as Sarma says, there is a zero payout being made to the BCCI, then the total in lost revenues that the BCCI will be suffering as a fallout from the cricket rights mess till date is a whopping Rs 3.43 billion.
A case of lost opportunity if ever there was one
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.
