News Broadcasting
eWAN1 global IPTV service to launch in 36 Languages including Urdu
MUMBAI: The US-based broadband network solutions provider eWAN1, Inc. has announced that subscribers of the company’s new Global Internet Television service will be able to access their local TV stations, plus EWAN’s initial 75 channels of traditional broadcast television in 36 major languages. The service is scheduled to launch on 15 April.
The company also announced that among the languages being supported is Urdu, spoken in Afghanistan and parts of Iraq.
Ewan president Scott Kettle says, “Our ability to appeal to and accommodate the global customer is what will truly set Ewan’s service offering apart from our would-be competitors. Our ability to offer our service in Urdu is particularly compelling in that it directly helps US efforts in both Iraq and Afghanistan. We are honoured to be able to contribute to the overall effort in providing the programming and medium that we hope will result in a lasting free and democratic society in these embattled parts of the Middle East.”
As per the plan, Ewan will launch IPTV service on a global basis in the following languages: Urdu, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Turkish, Thai, Tagalog, Swedish, Spanish, Slovak, Hebrew, Serbian, Russian, Romanian, Punjabi, Polish, Portuguese, Persian, Norwegian, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Italian, German, Hindi, Greek, French, Finnish, English, Egyptian, Dutch, Danish, Czech, Cantonese, Bulgarian, Bengali, Armenian and Arabic, states an official release.
Ewan’s set-top box includes Internet, telephone service (VOIP), data and video capability, and subscribers will be joining a new, private, exclusive TV network at a cost of approximately one-third of that now charged by existing cable or satellite companies.
Offering consumers 75 channels of “On Demand” content delivered to their television screens via any DSL or broadband connection Ewan in March will roll out the first of a projected 250,000 of its proprietary “Triple Play” set-top boxes to both the US and international consumers this year. The set-top box is pre-bundled with a monthly subscription for the channels of content and consumers will be able to order online and from local retail channels, the release adds.
Ewan’s wholly owned subsidiary, Direct Connect, will provide traditional broadcast television including such popular programming as HBO, CNN, Showtime, ABC and ESPN, allowing subscribers to pick and choose only those channels they are willing to pay for.
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.
