News Broadcasting
FremantleMedia in development deal with Absolutely Productions
MUMBAI: The global distribution arm of FremantleMedia, Fremantle International Distribution (FID) announced the signing of a development deal with award-winning UK independent, Absolutely Productions.
The deal will see Absolutely develop a number of projects in conjunction with FID over the next three years. FID will have a ‘first look’ distribution option over Absolutely’s comedy and drama slates and will have exclusive international distribution rights for TV, home entertainment and formats to all co-created projects.
Fremantle International Distribution head of acquisitions and development Shane Murphy commented, “We are delighted to have secured a deal which will enable us to develop new and exciting programming with the creative minds at Absolutely Productions. FID is currently expanding its catalogue of high-quality comedy and drama and Absolutely, having produced some of the most innovative and memorable comedy and drama since its founding in the 1980s, is a fitting partner for our world-beating catalogue.”
Absolutely Productions board member Gordon Kennedy added, “We are delighted that Absolutely and FID have linked up to develop new comedy and entertainment projects over the next few years. It is a really exciting challenge and an important stimulus to our creative thinking and planning to have this sort of relationship with an international distributor. With Fremantle’s pre-eminent position as a top international distributor of both formats and finished product, we at Absolutely are very confident that this new alliance will be a tremendous success.”
Founded in 1988 by Morwenna Banks, Jack Docherty, Moray Hunter, Pete Baikie, John Sparkes and Gordon Kennedy, Absolutely Productions has been a producer of quality television since 1990, with key titles including the ground-breaking and influential Absolutely, along with the BAFTA award-winning Barry Welsh Is Coming, Trigger Happy TV, Meg And Mog, Pub Quiz, Historyville and Stressed Eric, said an official release.
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.
