News Broadcasting
FCC clears Comcast buyout of AT&T Broadband
MUMBAI: In a 3-1 vote (the dissenting vote coming from the lone Democrat on the panel, Michael Copps), the US Federal Communications Commission today cleared the way for the $30.2 billion buyout of AT&T Broadband by rival Comcast Corp.
The merger reportedly creates a pay TV giant with over 27 million subscribers.
The US Justice Department has also approved the deal that will create a new company called AT&T Comcast Corp.
The approval for the merger has not been without its critics though. Consumer groups have lambasted the seeming double standards shown by the FCC in approving the Comcast deal after rejecting EchoStar Communications Corp.’s proposed acquisition of DirecTV. Many consumer advocates had backed the satellite-television merger, which they said would create a strong national competitor to the cable monopolies.
The FCC’s only major condition for approval has been the stipulation that the new company AT&T Comcast Corp divest entirely its 25 per cent stake in Time Warner Entertainment. Earlier this year, AOL Time Warner said it would effectively buy AT&T’s stake in the partnership for around $9 billion in cash and securities. That deal will give AOL Time Warner full ownership of the Warner Bros. film studio and Home Box Office, along with most of Time Warner Cable.
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.
