News Broadcasting
Disney plans TV series and video sequel for ‘Lilo & Stitch’
Walt Disney’s latest flick ‘Lilo & Stitch’ that raked in impressive box office collections, will soon appear as a television series and a video sequel.
According to the company, the film crossed the $100 million mark at the box office in the first three weekends following its release in the US. The video sequel, currently entitled ‘Stitch! — The Movie,” is slated for release next year and will serve as a bridge between the feature film and the television series. The series, currently in development under the working title ‘Stitch! — The TV Series’ will become a global television franchise following its anticipated launch on Disney Channel late next year. It will unveil on the Disney Channels and Disney-branded TV programmes across the globe.
There are 15 international Disney Channels and nearly 100 Disney- branded blocks of programming in 51 countries reaching 600 million television viewers worldwide currently, the company claims. The channel’s launch in India, expected this year, has been delayed due to various reasons.
The initial 39 episodes of the series will be directed by Vic Cook (“Disney’s The Legend of Tarzan,” “101 Dalmatians, the Series”) and Don MacKinnon (“Disney’s Teacher’s Pet,” “Disney/Pixar’s Buzz Lightyear of Star Command”).
The cast from the film will also feature in the video premiere and the television series. They include Tia Carrere, Ving Rhames and Kevin McDonald.
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.
