News Broadcasting
FCC releases report on cable prices
MUMBAI: US media regulatory body The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released its annual report on cable industry prices for 2005.
The report shows that average monthly rates for cable service — including basic and expanded basic cable programming services — increased by 5.2 per cent over the 12-month period ending 1 January 2005, from $40.91 to $43.04, and by 93 per cent since the period immediately prior to Congress’s enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
Specifically, the average monthly charge for basic service increased by 3.3 percent, rising from $13.84 on 1 January 2004 to $14.30 a year later. Over the same period, the average charge for expanded basic service rose from $27.07 to $28.74, an increase of 6.2 per cent — more than 84 per cent of cable consumers subscribe to the expanded basic service.
The report finds that for the 12-month period ending 1 January, the average monthly rate for basic and expanded basic cable programming services increased by 4.9 per cent for the group of cable operators in communities relieved from basic tier rate regulation (the “effective competition group”) and by 5.2 per cent for the group of cable operators without a finding of effective competition (the “noncompetitive group”).
As of 1 January 2005, cable operators without a finding of effective competition charged an average of $43.33 per month for basic and expanded basic programming, which was 7.9 per cent more than the $40.15 charged by the group of operators with a finding of effective competition. The degree of difference, however, varied by subgroup, with the highest percentage differential associated with the subgroup of cable operators for which relief from rate regulation was based on a second cable operator.
Prices charged by cable operators in these communities were 17 per cent lower than in communities without a finding of effective competition. DBS competition, however, does not appear to constrain cable prices – average prices were the same as or slightly higher in communities where DBS was the basis for relieving a cable operator from rate regulation than in non competitive communities.
The FCC also collected information on the prices charged for the most highly subscribed digital tier plus equipment consisting of a digital set-top converter and remote control unit. For all communities sampled, over the 12 months ending 1 January 2005, the price for this tier and equipment increased by 1.2 per cent, to $12.99. Of the 98 per cent of all cable subscribers served by systems that offered digital video service, 37 per cent subscribe to the digital tier.
The report also provides information on the average capacity of cable systems and the percentage of cable subscribers that are offered advanced services such as digital service, internet access, and telephone service. As of 1 January 2005, approximately 87 per cent of all cable subscribers were served by systems that had been upgraded to a capacity of at least 750 MHz. Also, 96 per cent of all cable subscribers were served by systems that offered Internet access. In addition, 42 percent of subscribers were offered telephone service by their cable operator.
There was very little variation between the groups (those with and without a finding of effective competition) in terms of system capacity or the percentage of subscribers offered advanced services.
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.
