News Broadcasting
Frames to examine the different financing options for the entertainment industry
MUMBAI: The convention for the business of entertainment Frames takes place in Mumbai from 22-24 March. One session will look at Financing Options for Indian Entertainment industry.
The Indian entertainment industry is one of the fastest growing sectors recording a growth rate of 18-20 per cent each year. How do the investors and the financial community view this sector? What will be the various financing options that could be made available to this sector.
Seeking to provide answers are JP Morgan MD Vedika Bhandarkar, HSBC Securities (USA) global sector head for media and entertainment Sandeep Pahwa, Carlyle Asia Investment Advisors MD Rajeev Gupta, Enam Financial Consultants partner and MD Munesh Khanna, GW Capital partner Vikram Narula and Waygate Capital MD Rajesh Jog.
On 23 March there will be a plenary session on Emerging revenue options for the Indian Entertainment Industry. Indian cinema is still less than one per cent of worldwide movie revenues. Digital distribution of content provides unprecedented and timely reach to consumers of Indian content in markets, which are non-traditional clusters. New markets, better distribution and broadband at home open up significant opportunities for digital distribution of movie and music content with the enhanced security of content protection and advanced payment mechanism.
The session will be moderated by Nasscom president Kiran Karnik. The opening address will be given by Kamal Haasan who will dwell on The Interplay of Technology and Entertainment. Intel will make a presentation.
Another plenary session will look at the Marketing & Distribution of Films: The Global Perspective. How is it that a global product is communicated locally keeping in mind the specifics of that particular region.
The session will be moderated by UTV chairman Ronnie Screwvala. The speakers include Buena Vista International president Mark Zoradi. He will deal with the challenges in marketing a film in different countries and across various regions. Hollywood has found India a tough nut to crack as it is faced with an audience who is loyal towards Indian cinema. Hollywood accounts for around seven to eight per cent to total film revenues in India. How can Universal, Paramount and other Hollywood studios increase revenues in India?
Meanwhile Indian filmmakers are looking at how they can tap the overseas market better. Looking to tackle these two issues is United International Pictures chairman and CEO Stewart Till who also serves as chairman of the UK Film Council.
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.
