News Broadcasting
Mike McKee is Gemstar-TV Guide Consumer Electronics COO
MUMBAI: Gemstar-TV Guide International has announced appointment of Mike McKee as the COO of TV Guide Consumer Electronics.
Gemstar-TV Guide International provides information and guidance regarding television.
McKee will oversee the day-to-day worldwide business operations for the TV Guide Consumer Electronics division. He will report to the TV Guide Consumer Electronics president Doug Macrae, say a company release.
The division develops and markets Interactive Programme Guides (IPG) and Plus Code recording systems. These are then incorporated into consumer electronics products such as digital televisions, digital video recorders, and DVD recorders.
Previously McKee was the president of TV Guide’s satellite businesses, including the Superstar/Netlink Group, UVTV, and SpaceCom. These were purchased by Echostar earlier this year, informs the release.
Gemstar-TV Guide’s consumer electronics products are distributed in nearly 40 countries. The IPG is marketed as TV Guide On Screen in North America, G-Guide in Japan and Guide Plus+ in Europe. Plus Code brands include VCR Plus+, Show View, Video Plus+ and G-Code.
McKee joined Gemstar-TV Guide in 1997 as the president of the Superstar/Netlink group.
Macrae was quoted in the release saying, “Mike brings a strong understanding of technology and the changing television industry, as well as years of management experience. This will be invaluable as we continue maximising the potential of our consumer electronics business.
“Given his experience in overseeing multiple business units within Gemstar-TV Guide, Mike will be able to hit the ground running. We will work closely with leading consumer electronics manufacturers to integrate our products into digital televisions and recorders worldwide.”
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.
