News Broadcasting
Frames to examine in film placement opportunities
MUMBAI: Frames, the convention for the entertainment industry kicks off a week from now in Powai. On 17 March, a session will look at the opportunities available to marketers in the area of film.
The session will look at how in-film placement, promotion-publicity tie ups and movie merchandising can unlock value for both brands and movie makers. A case study approach will be taken in order to set targets for the film industry for each of these three opportunities. The session will also identify a framework for doing deals, and the right pricing.
The session will be hosted by Businessworld senior editor media Vanita Kohli. The speakers include Mindshare Fulcrum Central Asia MD Vikram Sakuja, Reliance Infcomm’s marketing head Kaushik Roy, Leo Entertainment GM Sanjay Bhutiani.
An important session will tackle the issue of digital rights management. Digital technology is reshaping the entire value chain of content creation, distribution and exhibition. The protection of content in such a scenario poses a huge challenge to the IP holder. The session will focus on ways of managing content in the digital world. The host will be Amarchand & Mangaldas managing partner Shardul Shroff. The speakers are Digital Media Solution Asia Pacific’s Quentin Staes Polet, IBM’s Jeffrey Johnson and the HRD Ministry’s joint secretary Bela Banerjee.
Trai chairman Pradip Baijal will deliver a special address on 16 March. He will dwell on the role of the regulator in the future of Indian television.
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.
