News Broadcasting
Ditto TV partners with Turner International India
Ditto TV, India’s first OTT (Over-The-Top) TV distribution platform from Zee New Media, the digital arm of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel), further strengthened its content offering, by partnering with Turner International India adding three of their globally renowned channels – CNN International, Cartoon Network and Pogo to its bouquet.
Ditto TV subscribers will have access to top news stories across the globe via a live feed of CNN International. CNN International’s coverage of news and current affairs will be available via news packages and programs such as Amanpour, Fareed Zakaria GPS and International Desk. Subscribers will also be able to get the latest updates and current trends in global economy, travel, environment, arts and entertainment in the expert voices of CNN anchors and special correspondents including Richard Quest, Philippe Cousteau and Anthony Bourdain.
Ditto TV launches its kids’ genre with the addition of India’s leading kids’ channels, Cartoon Network and Pogo. Cartoon Network comes with a global legacy of being kids’ favourite cartoon channel and Pogo is currently the reigning kids’ channel in India. The looped feeds of Cartoon Network featuring hit series such as Ben 10, Dexter’s Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, Johnny Bravo, etc. and Pogo featuring popular shows such as M.A.D., F.A.Q., CIA, etc., will treat Ditto TV subscribers to an exciting blend of the best of international and local shows.
Speaking about the partnership, Ditto TV business head Manoj Padmanabhan said, “Our focus is to offer consumers access to the largest collection of premium content, spread across diverse genres, along with rich on-demand video capabilities. Kids’ programming is a growing genre, and Turner India enjoys a lion’s share of the market. There is an ever- growing appetite for international news amongst Indian consumers and live feed from CNN International will provide consumers instant access to the latest on the digital device of their choice. This partnership will further accentuate the experience of seamless video viewing and we are confident that our customers will enjoy the variety that it brings to the Ditto TV offering.”
Since its inception in February 2012, Ditto TV has already partnered for content with Multi Screen Media (Sony Entertainment Television), TV Today Network, BBC, ZEE, BIG CBS Love and BIG CBS Prime. Today, Ditto TV offers 60 channels across leading genres and rich on-demand video content.
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.
