News Broadcasting
Hallmark Channel signs carriage agreement with Telewest Broadband
MUMBAI: Hallmark Channel on Thursday signed a carriage agreement with Telewest Broadband, the broadband communications and media group, securing its place across all major digital platforms in the UK.
The long-term carriage deal will enable an additional 500,000 UK viewers to see Hallmark as part of Telewest Broadband’s “essential plus” package. The combined channels will now reach over 7 million digital subscribers, according to an official release.
Hallmark will launch on Telewest Broadband on 2 September on Channel 190. The chaAccording to Hallmark Channel (UK) Chief Executive Jeff Henry: “The completion of this agreement with Telewest Broadband means we’ve reached our goal of maximum distribution.”nnel has so far been available on ntl: home and Sky Digital, says the release.
Hallmark UK channel launched in May 2000 on Sky Digital, securing carriage with ntl:home in November 2001. In the past year Hallmark has seen its audience share increase by more than 140% year on year, claims the channel. Telewest Communications currently passes 4.9 million homes and provides multi-channel television, telephone and Internet services to around 1.8 million UK households, and voice and data telecommunications services to around 74, 300 business customers, the release says.
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.
