News Broadcasting
Innovative content & localisation a must to catch the ‘tough crowd’
MUMBAI: Kids have been gaining the mind space of more and more broadcasters across the globe. And why not? These tech babies who are the fastest to adopt any new technology are also contributing to core family decisions and have a large chunk of spending power at their disposal.
In such a scenario, kids broadcasters have to be that much more vigilant to cater to their needs unremittingly. At the second day of the Promax&BDA conference, kids programming took center stage.
While Nickelodeon UK vice president and creative director Peter Drake spoke on how to cater to the “Tough Crowd” i.e. the kids; whereas Walt Disney Television International (India) director programming Nachiket Pantvaidya touched upon the issue of how to localize international brands.
“Kids have changed the way they consume media. More and more kids now feel the need to be in control with all the gadgets that they are exposed to. Moreover, with parents being busy in their work, the need for a digital nanny has also become prevalent now. In such a scenario, we, as broadcasters have to make viewers see us as more than just a TV channel,” Drake said.
He spoke about an interactive show – Me:TV! on Nickelodeon UK, wherein kids who have a webcam can host the show from their homes. “The aim was to utilise new technology to deepen the kids’ experience of our brand. User generated content can be tapped to a great extent in the near future,” Drake said.
Another point which came out was that there was a need for broadcasters to develop evolving communication so that it can work on all delivery platforms rather than just television, which in turn would throw up new revenue opportunities too.
“In the end, it’s still about having great content but it’s just about how you present it that matter the most,” Drake concluded.
Disney’s Pantvaidya, on the other hand, dwelled on the various reasons why an international brand should localize itself to suit local sensibilities. “Localisation is cost effective and at the same time it is essential for building cultural relevance. As far as what needs to be localized in a channel to create relevance, it would be language, local faces, formats, narrative content and graphics,” he said.
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.
