News Broadcasting
Films Division and NFDC to digitise archives
MUMBAI: The archives of Films Division and National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) will be converted into digital format by 31 March 2007.
The information & broadcasting (I & B) and parliamentary affairs minister P R Dasmunsi has made the announcement at the Consultative Committee yesterday. The consultative committee is attached to the I & B ministry.
According to Dasmunsi, the film archives are part of the India’s heritage and money will be no constraint in the preservation of these treasures.
The NFDC had produced several highly acclaimed films over the years and the issue of strengthening its financial base will be taken up to enable it to sponsor at least 2-3 films every year, Dasmunsi says.
He added that this had become necessary in view of the increased costing of film production and says, “Films export and the promotion of children’s films will also be high on the NFDC agenda.”
The members were unanimous in suggesting that the strengths of Films Division and NFDC needs to be utilized to bring about awareness among new generation about Indian history, culture and freedom struggle.
Some members wanted to know whether the government could make it mandatory for private TV channels to broadcast the documentary films produced by the Films Division, informs the release.
One of the members had suggested that classics available with NFDC could be dubbed in other Indian languages and screened in different parts of the country. While, another suggestion made was to provide adequate space to entertainment in NFDC films so that their quality improves and the films generate viewers’ interest.
Those who attended the meeting included Kirip Chaliha, S. Mallikarjunaiah, Mahendra Prasad Nishad, Bhartruhari Mahtab, Ramdas Athawale, Vijay J. Darda, Ajay Maroo, Shatrughan Sinha, Dr. Satyanarayan Jetiya, Usha Verma and Nirmala Deshpande – all MPs, besides senior officers of I & B ministry.
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.
