News Broadcasting
‘Disney Hour Kids Awards 2003’ in March
MUMBAI: If awards for adult “performers” can become annual fixtures, why not for kids.
Buena Vista Television India has announced that it is all set for the Disney Hour Kids Awards 2003, scheduled to be held in March 2003.
The awards, which premiered in India in 2002, are on the lines of the ‘Disney Channel Kids Awards’ held annually in the UK. There are eight categories: Hindi movie actor and actress, sportsperson, Disney Hour pal, Hindi movie, Hindi movie song, TV personality male and female.
According to a release, the winners in the categories will be decided on the basis of votes sent in by children. Also, eight lucky children from the winning entries received, will be drawn to meet and greet the awardees of the ‘Disney Hour Kids Awards’ contest. Participation is open only to children in the age group of 5-15 years, the release adds.
Children can cast their votes by either filling up forms or by logging onto www.criclive.com/disneyontv.
The forms are available at the Disney stations at Pantaloons’ outlets in select cities, Disney Hour Kids’ Awards Vote Express- a travelling roadshow that will distribute forms at schools and at kids’ hangouts, February 2003 issue of Diamond comics and Flip top sachets of Pass Pass, states the release.
The voting is open till February 21 and the results of the contest will be announced on a special episode on Disney Hour in March 2003.
Celebratory partners on the Disney Hour Kids’ Awards are Pass Pass, Parle Products , Rasna , The Laughing Cow, Pantaloons, Diamond Comics and Indian Airlines.
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.
