News Broadcasting
Differences resolved, MEN back as FTV’s India distributor
MUMBAI: It’s kiss and make up time looks like. French fashion channel FTV and estranged distribution partner Modi Entertainment Network today announced they were doing business together again.
A statement from FTV says it has ambitious and exciting plans for India having buried its differences with the Modis and is renewing its commitment to the market here.
I am happy to say that we have very amicably resolved our differences with the Modis and are looking forward to a long and uninterrupted period of co-operation in making our position in India simply unassailable, an official release quoted FTV bossman Michel Adam as saying. Echoing Adams sentiments, Modi Enterprises president Lalit Modi said: We have already taken great strides in unleashing the unique appeal and potential of FTV. I believe the best is yet to come.
FTV India with its soon-to-be-launched India-specific beam will now step-up its Indian content, by developing new shows and vignettes and showcasing Indian fashion, lifestyle and music. It will pump up its content for Fashion India in the coming months with an additional focus on fashion in Indian cinema, heritage fashion and fashionable destinations, the release says.
FTV, which had turned free-to-air after it broke away from the Modis, is expected to return to the pay mode once the reworked distribution arrangement has set in, some time towards the end of the year.
Additionally, encouraged by the resounding success of its F. Bar & Lounges, in Bangalore and New Delhi FTV India, with the technical expertise and support of FTV, will soon introduce the concept to the cities of Hyderabad; Mumbai; Pune; Chandigarh, Calcutta, Goa, Chennai, and add a second location in New Delhi, within the next 12-18 months, the statement says. FTV is presently in the process of finalizing prospective franchisees for these cities.
FTV is, also, in the year ahead, looking at launching F. Cafés and F. Salons, across India strengthening its leadership in the Fashion category and delivering its promise of a 360 degree fashion experience.
Globally, Fashion TV is the first worldwide 24-hour television network entirely dedicated to fashion, beauty and style. In just seven years, since its inception in 1997, Fashion TV has emerged as one of the five best-distributed channels in the world and an acknowledged medium of reference. It is present in 130 countries on 5 continents through 31 satellites and over 1000 cable systems. Broadcast by leading global media groups, such as Eutelsat, BSkyB and Astra C, Fashion TV has a confirmed reach of over 130 million households. Ftv.com, the on line version of the brand, is also the front-runner in its space, attracting over one million unique users per month.
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.
