News Broadcasting
Exim policy expected to boost investment in entertainment sector
NEW DELHI: The Indian government’s new Exim (export-import) policy unveiled today lays emphasis on the entertainment industry, apart from giving a massive thrust to services, exports, removal of restrictions on exports and making the Export Promotion Credit Guarantee scheme more flexible.
Though the government did not specify any particular segment of the entertainment industry, industry watchers here feel that, in general, it may give a fillip to the broadcasting sector too.
Announcing a package for entertainment industry, commerce minister Arun Jaitely in his maiden Exim Policy address said this sector, which was “singularly handicapped” by lack of investment, would now be promoted by encouraging venture capital funds into the sector.
Suitable tax incentives would be given to the venture capitalists, in consultation with the finance ministry, he said, adding that a sector-specific working group would be set up for this purpose
Aiming at 1 per cent share in the world trade, the new Exim Policy will give maximum thrust to services like healthcare, entertainment, professional services and tourism.
Though VCs are yet to turn their business eye to the broadcasting sector, they have realised the potential of the film industry. In recent times, some big Bollywood producers have been in talks with VCs to fund their films.
Hailing the Exim Policy as a progressive one, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said one of the significant features of this year’s policy was the initiative to proactively address the needs of different sectors as also giving reliefs to service exporters in sectors such as healthcare and entertainment where people now can now use 10 per cent of their foreign exchange earnings to import office and professional equipment, spares and consumables duty free.
Meanwhile, coinciding with the announcements in the Exim Policy, a six-member Israeli delegation of venture capital companies is visiting India this week to explore business opportunities.
The delegation is currently managing over 16 billion euros. Its aim is to understand the current situation of Indian economy, opportunities in high-technology sectors — particularly in information technology and telecom — and seek collaborations with Indian venture capital companies.
The Israeli team will meet minister for communications and IT Arun Shourie and member of the Planning Commission NK Singh.
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.
