News Broadcasting
Disney terms Miramax unprofitable; Weinsteins ready to buy back
MUMBAI: The souring relationship between Miramax studio and its parent Walt Disney Company has triggered a war of statements. While Disney has downright given Miramax the loser’s tag, founders and co-chairmen of Miramax — Harvey and Bob Weinstein — have asked Disney to quote a sum so that they can buy back the studio.
Last week, Eisner went on record saying Disney had no plans to sell Miramax though the studio had been unprofitable in three of the past five years. While opposing Eisner’s statement, Miramax spokesman Matthew Hiltzik said the studio was making money, as evidenced by Disney’s having had to pay the Weinsteins a bonus that had been predicated on Miramax’ turning a profit.
”If Disney thinks Miramax is so unprofitable, Bob and Harvey would be happy to buy it back if Disney names the price,” Hiltzik was quoted as saying in media reports.
This made Disney President Robert Iger to extend his support to Eisner by claiming Miramax has been unprofitable in recent years.
”They’re not taking into account standard overhead, distribution fees, bonuses that we pay Bob and Harvey. Nor are they applying current accounting rules. So, yes, there are two sides to the story, but I think our side of the story is a rather credible side,” Iger was quoted as saying in reports.
Disney acquired Miramax 11 years ago. It is reported that Disney intends to pay Weinstein brothers less money and to impose caps on exploding budgets at Miramax. The studio known for breeding small and inexpensive films has been focusing on expensive projects of late as last year’s $80 million Cold Mountain and $70 million The Green Hornet, which is currently under production.
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.
