News Broadcasting
IndiaCast to launch Colors on Africa’s DStv in October
MUMBAI: IndiaCast is all set to launch Viacom18’s Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) Colors in Africa through its partnership with MultiChoice.
Colors, which is present in more than 135 countries, will be available to DStv Indian customers in South Africa from 15 October, 2015. The channel will reach out to Indian viewers in 13 countries including South Africa, Bostwana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zanzibar.
Colors CEO Raj Nayak said, “In the seven years since it first launched, Colors has been a game changer in the television industry with path-breaking content that has appealed to viewer sensibilities. As the channel launches on DStv in Africa, the channel’s global penetration in more than 135 markets, with shows syndicated in over 100 markets, further reinforces our belief in our offerings and ability to match viewing preferences of our audiences.”
IndiaCast group CEO Anuj Gandhi added, “At IndiaCast, it is our endeavour to present South Asian viewers across the world with quality Hindi entertainment avenues bringing a taste of Indian culture and values to their fingertips. Our association with MultiChoice is a partnership which enables us to further expand our footprint within Africa and keep viewers entertained through our varied offerings. We are happy to be able to reach out to DStv customers with content from the Colors library and look forward to reaching out to more viewers in Africa as our relationship with the network strengthens.”
IndiaCast Middle East & Africa business head Sachin Gokhale said, “We are very excited to grow our presence in Africa through our partnership with MultiChoice. Brand Colors is already known by all South Asian diaspora worldwide for its innovative content, clutter breaking marketing and local connect. We are well aware that DStv customers are a discerning lot, given that they are well exposed to the best of global content, and we now look forward to ensuring that Colors exceeds their expectations, delights them and becomes a meaningful part of their lives.”
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.
