News Broadcasting
Fremantle to go to Natpe with dramas
MUMBAI: At the television trade event Natpe next year in Las Vegas television format creator and distributor FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) will offer big brand shows and drama programming.
Kicking things off will be The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency with Janice Dickinson making an appearance at the Mandalay Bay to showcase this series.
On the show she endures the trials and tribulations of setting up her own modelling agency. After five seasons as the ‘Simon-Cowell-of-modelling’ judge on America’s Next Top Model, Janice is now taking the reigns as both star and producer of this hit new show which has already made waves around the world.
Live From Abbey Road makes its Natpe debut, with the likes of Snow Patrol, Massive Attack, LeAnn Rimes and the Red Hot Chili Peppers celebrating the 75th anniversary of London’s legendary Abbey Road recording studios. Both new and established artists offer a unique insight into the world of the musician as they rehearse, discuss their work, and build towards the final exclusive performance at the home of music.
Series three of Project Runway is available, hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum. This wildly popular series from The Weinstein Company was nominated for three 2006 Emmy awards and screens in 21 territories worldwide. Series three sees fifteen new fashion designers battling it out for the chance to show their designs in front of the global fashion community in New York and be displayed in the pages of Elle magazine. A hot property, the series three finale of Project Runway recently achieved a record-breaking 5.4 million viewers – the highest rated programme ever on Bravo.
The Martha Stewart Show makes a return to NATPE, featuring celebrity-studded and informative segments, with the spotlight on Martha Stewart’s sense of humour and love of fun. Having recently been renewed for a further series on NBC, each episode features movers and shakers, headline makers, A-list celebrities plus everyday people who’ve accomplished extraordinary things.
With guests such as Russell Crowe, Jamie Oliver, Olivia Newton-John, Jessica Alba, Harrison Ford, Sharon Stone, Jason Biggs, Paul Walker and the cast of Desperate Housewives, season one of The Martha Stewart Show received five Emmy nominations and scooped one award.
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.
