News Broadcasting
FBC plans popular Fashion House format for Indian audience
NEW DELHI: European television format, production and distribution company Fact Based Communications (FBC) is gearing up to enter Indian market, following a tie-up with Rossellini & Associates, according to reports in international media.
FBC has reportedly finalised plans for its production operations in Mumbai and administration office in New Delhi.
The role of FBC and Rossellini & Associates in the venture wasn’t disclosed. The joint venture will work together on the development and production of programmes for channels here.
FBC India’s first project is expected to be a localised version of the design talent format Fashion House. The format has been aired on TV3 in Sweden, MTV Italia and Channel 4 in the UK. Apart from the popular format, FBC is also evaluating options for sitcoms and soap operas.
Alan Friedman, spokesperson of FBC, has reportedly said that the format is expected to be introduced in October this year. The name of the channel is yet to be finalised. The localised version of Fashion House is expected to feature Bollywood personalities and even cricketers along with fashion designers. For instance, Bollywood stars would be dressed by competing fashion designer teams.
FBC programming is created and produced in cooperation with many of the world’s leading media companies such as: News Corp., CNBC Europe, Viacom, PBS, Channel 4 in the UK, RAI in Italy, Broadway Video, The Wall Street Journal and The International Herald Tribune.
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.
