News Broadcasting
Eros Media forays into Saudi Arabia’s market; announces partnership with Arabia Pictures Group
Mumbai: Eros Media World has formed a strategic alliance with a Riyadh-based content production company, Arabia Pictures Group, “APG,” which primarily serves the MENA region.
Through this partnership, Eros and APG will explore strategic and business opportunities in the film production, technology, and web3 space exclusively catering to the Indian entertainment industry.
Eros Media World group CEO Pradeep Dwivedi said, “Saudi Arabia is a strategic market for global organisations like Eros Media World. We aspire to be a frontrunner in not only getting a foothold in this burgeoning market but also contribute to the economy through our expertise.”
He further added, “This partnership with Arabia Picture Group is significant as it allows us to understand the market and introduce new concepts and technologies that are crucial to the growth of the sector in the region. Cultural similarities between India and Saudi Arabia will help accelerate this process and create value for stakeholders.”
They will look into content production investments such as end-to-end production, line production, distribution, and more. They will also look to introduce new technologies that will help the media and entertainment industry grow. They are already testing movie archive digitisation and virtual location scouting technologies in advanced stages.
Arabia Pictures Group chairman Abdulelah Alahmary said, “The MENA region is keen for creative mediums such as arts and films to play a more prominent role in shaping the economy. This presents a great opportunity for us to use our combined strength and contribute to the sector’s growth. He adds, “We are collaborating in the East with Eros’ expertise in the new age web3 and blockchain space gives us an edge, and I am certain that we will build an ecosystem that will transform the media and entertainment industry in the MENA region and beyond towards the west.”
With blockchain and related technologies transforming businesses around the world, the joint entity will focus on creating an environment that supports decentralised and autonomous new economic growth, thereby creating a more equitable and empowering ecosystem for the entertainment community to thrive.
Arabia Pictures Group chief executive officer Roua Almadani, “We have always aspired to partner with India, the top entertainment creators in the world, and now the dream has come true.”
“This cooperation will create various job opportunities in entertainment production and filmmaking as well as new discoveries of young talents in the film industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. We will be revealing more details during a press conference and on the joint projects soon,” added Almadani.
Eros is entering the rapidly expanding Saudi Arabian market in order to capitalise on new opportunities and identify synergies with the various Saudi Arabian government initiatives aimed at fostering growth in the media and entertainment sectors.
The General Entertainment Authority (GEA), which was established by the Saudi government in 2016 to help drive Vision 2030, a strategic framework to diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy and develop public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation, media, and tourism, is one of the driving forces behind the growth initiative.
As part of its Vision 2030, the Saudi government intends to invest approximately $6.9 billion in the film industry in order to transform it into a major economic contributor.
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.
