News Broadcasting
Granada International inks deal with Korean broadcasters
MUMBAI: Television content distributor Granada International’s regional office in Hong Kong has signed a raft of deals in Korea.
EBS, Korea’s public free to air broadcaster, has acquired a package of drama programming including UK dramas Cracker and Dracula, Hollywood TV movies Life Is Not A Fairytale and Wildfires and titles from Granada International’s feature film library including Sophie’s Choice and Bugsy Malone. Also included in the EBS deal is the children’s wildlife show Get Bushwise.
Granada International has concluded its first deal with CJ Media, part of one of Korea’s largest conglomerates, which includes the acquisition of reality series Poor Little Rich Girls and lifestyle shows Trinny and Susannah Undress… and Dinner Takes All.
The science show Brainiac has been acquired by cable TV’s e-channel and two series of Megastructures which air in India on National Geographic Channel (NGC) have been picked up by MBC. Joongang Broadcasting has bought eight feature films from the Granada International library including My Left Foot and Jesus of Nazareth.
Cable broadcaster On Media has acquired the second series of Hell’s Kitchen USA starring Gordon Ramsay and series two and three of Nanny 911.
Granada International’s Regional Director based in the company’s Hong Kong offices James Ross says, “I am delighted to be working so closely with many of Korea’s top channels. The demand for our programming in Asia continues to grow and we are very fortunate to have a constant supply of dramas, documentaries and entertainment shows with high production values and great storylines that travel well to the region.”
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.
