News Broadcasting
JumpTV signs four more Indian channels
MUMBAI: JumpTV Inc., the global broadcaster of ethnic television over the internet, has signed exclusive internet-broadcast distribution agreements with four Indian television channels specialising in news, current events, politics and entertainment.
Hindi news channel India TV along with Malayalam television channels Kairali TV, People TV and Amrita TV have ‘jumped’ into the bandwagon now. Each channel will be priced at US$9.95 per month when launched commercially and at a later date will likely make up components of an Indian and/or South Asian bundle.
These new contracts that have been signed subsequent to the company’s 30 June 2006 quarter end disclosure. JumpTV now has 209 channels under license, informs an official release.
President and chief executive officer of JumpTV International Kaleil Isaza Tuzman stated, “With more than 15 million people of Indian origin living outside of the sub-continent — more than half of whom live in countries with high-broadband penetration such as the UK, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands and the UAE — we believe there is a massive global market for these channels.”
JumpTV’s Asia-Pacific director Vinod Kumar adds, “We are pleased to add such valuable partners as India TV News, Kairali TV, People TV and Amrita TV to JumpTV’s growing channel lineup. These channels add a new and diverse level of Indian programming to our strong roster of content which includes Sony Entertainment Television Asia, Punjab Today and Balle Balle, among others.”
Early this June, JumpTV had entered into an exclusive agreement to begin offering Sony Entertainment Television Asia (SET Asia) in North America via internet.
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.
