News Broadcasting
HBO production unit getting into high gear
MUMBAI: HBO is re-invigorating its old production unit, HBO Independent Productions, by reviving the business of creating series for broadcast networks.
The cable channel, which produces Everybody Loves Raymond for CBS, had turned its attention away from that business to concentrate on its own shows.
Among the major new initiatives the AOL Time Warner unit is getting into is with ailing US television network ABC, which is searching for programming that will bring it some worthwhile ratings. HBO and ABC are expected to announce an agreement as per which shows created by HBO will air during ABC’s prime-time schedule. The alliance is expected to kick into high gear by late next year when the shows that HBO is creating go on air.
In the early 1990s, HBO Independent Productions created series like Roc and Martin for the Fox network. However, in the recent past, it chose to focus more on creating original series for its own channel.
Reports indicate that ABC will finance the two-year agreement during which HBO will develop shows specifically for ABC. HBO is also free to offer a rejected show to other networks.
In the recent past, HBO has gained critical attention and ratings for shows such as the mafia saga The Sopranos and Six Feet Under which earlier this year got a couple of Golden Globe Awards. .
ABC has seen its ratings plummet over the past couple of years and hence the need for a slew of fresh programme initiatives. Reports indicate that ABC is pushing its development schedule this year and already has more than 15 new projects in development for next fall. They do not include potential programmes from HBO.
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.
