News Broadcasting
Government mulls notification on STB offtake terms
NEW DELHI: Not satisfied with passing a law, the Indian government now wants to do micro-management of the implementation of the law. Especially when it comes to conditional access system (CAS), which has become a hot topic for debate all over the country with pro and anti CAS lobbies making merry.
The government is now proposing to issue a notification that will ensure consumers, who go in for set-top boxes (STBs) in a post-CAS regime, are not taken for a ride by the suppliers as also the cable operator who’ll collect the security money in case boxes are taken on rent.
According to senior government officials, the I&B ministry is studying a formula whereby loopholes would be plugged by the government in the manner of provision of STBs on rent.
“In the event of STBs being rented by consumers, a time frame of the refund of the security deposit and the form of receipt (given to consumers) will be done by the cable operator as per a format specified by the government,” a government official, having access to the CAS files in the ministry, told indiantelevision.com today.
The rationale behind the proposed legislative move, likely to be made public before 15 June, is that the cable operators would deal in a huge amount of money that would be collected in the form of security deposits (in case STBs are taken on rent) and there is a likelihood of the grievances of the consumers not being addressed once the money is paid.
To protect the consumers from being harassed by cable operators in the event a person gets transferred from one place to another and needs his refund, the rule would ensure a safe return of the security deposits as per the various schemes being floated by the multi-service operators (MSOs).
Since the proposed notification would also look into the issue of proper receipts being given by cable ops to consumers, the interest of the consumer would be safeguarded, government officials said, emphasizing the government is in top gear where education of consumers regarding CAS is concerned.
Though the ministry has written to the broadcasters that latest by 10 June details of pay and free to air channels would have to be furnished, the formal deadline for pay channels’ individual pricing remains 15 June after which the government is unlikely to give any relaxation to the broadcasters.
Government officials said that the issue of unbundling of channels may be part of the proposed legislative move on STBs if a separate notification is not brought out to make the truant broadcaster fall in line.
News Broadcasting
Network18 posts Rs 1,955 crore revenue, narrows FY26 losses
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.
