News Broadcasting
Indian producers need to co-produce animation
MUMBAI: While future certainly seems to be looking up for the animation industry, it isn’t as a bright option unless the producers team up with animation companies abroad for co-production deals. That seemed to be the crux of the afternoon session on Animation: Co-production and production values and expectations from Indiaat the Ficci Frames 2004.
“The rapid advancement of technology has made computer animation available to the masses and the animation industry is one of the fastest growing industries. But who are we looking at when we venture into animation? The real market lies in the US, not in India,” said Phase Space International development head Ajay Koshy.
Indian producers to join hands in co-production if they’re interested in pursuing their business in the animation industry.
Another dignitary who presided on the panel of speakers, DQ Entertainment Ltd, CEO,Tapaas Chakravarti, endorsed in a humorous way, “The content is the king is alright, but let us follow the British monarchy system where the Queen is the Boss, for the cash is the Queen.”
Further ahead, great stress was laid on the fact that animation is all about owning the rights, but most of the Indian producers, who enter into co-production, get it all wrong. This is mainly due to the fact that their pacts and contracts run into hundreds of pages and certain important clauses are not read, which gives an opportunity for the experienced partner in the co-production to con the junior partner. “Please do take up co-productions in animation, they are required, exciting and tempting, but don’t rush into things and imagine that everything will fall in place on its own,” warned another speaker Animation Bridge CEO Biren Ghosh.
Another speaker, Ink Animations’ managing director Bob Last, who last came to India ten years ago when produced a documentary film for Mrinal Sen, viewed that U K can be a potential partner in this regard because it encourages multi-cultural programming.
The need for animation schools in India was also discussed; there is enough talent but that has to sustain, survive, and better still, grow.
Jadoo Works COO Ashish Kulkarni was the host for the session.
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.
