News Broadcasting
Discovery Networks plan to eliminate on-screen credits raises IDA ire
The International Documentary Association (IDA) has assembled a broad coalition consisting of, among others, writers, actors, directors, producers to protest against the plans of Discovery Communications to stop screening end title credits on Discovery Networks.
News reports which appeared last week in America said Discovery executives were planning to eliminate on-screen credits during meetings with selected non-fiction programme producers.
Newspaper and trade articles reported that credits would be replaced with listings on a website. Discovery executives have put the blame on the doorstep of viewers who they claim are “channel surfing away” from the cable networks’ channels during the 30 seconds it typically takes to screen credits.
IDA President Michael Donaldson said: “There are creative solutions to the channel surfing problem that will be fairer to non-fiction filmmakers, and also to the viewers who have an inherent right to know who produced the programs they are watching. Eliminating credits is the equivalent of publishing news stories without bylines and making works of art anonymous. The names of authors of non-fiction programs are vital subtext for the stories they tell.”
One of the issues raised at the first Documentary Credits Coalition (DCC) meeting was the fact that many people participate in the production of non-fiction films with minimal and sometimes no financial compensation because they believe it is a story that deserves to be told. Credits in titles are their main compensation.
Donaldson went on to say that the proposed move from Discovery undermined the independent spirit that John Hendricks embraced when he founded Discovery in 1985.
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.
