News Broadcasting
MPA & STVF announces knowledge exchange forum at STVF in Shanghai
MUMBAI: Media Partners Asia (MPA) and Shanghai TV Festival (STVF) announced a partnership to collaborate on the first ever knowledge exchange forum at the STVF in Shanghai on 10 June.
China & the Global Video Opportunity Forum unites leaders from TV and digital video industries in China, Asia Pacific, Europe and North America.
The exclusive thought leadership forum sets the stage for a cultural exchange between domestic and international media players and provides a unique networking platform for attendees.
MPA Business Development vice president Reagan Chan said, “We are pleased to partner with Shanghai TV Festival and co-host this ground breaking forum, sharing perspectives and partnerships across the world’s leading media and entertainment markets.”
STVF managing director Wenxia Fu said, “STVF is one of the most important platforms in Asia’s television industry for international cultural exchange and collaboration. Established in 1986, this year’s festival will be its 22 edition. We are thrilled to partner with MPA, Asia’s leading research and consulting company to bring us closer to our international counterparts for an unmatched knowledge sharing opportunity.”
China’s TV and digital video markets lead in Asia Pacific, generating revenue of approximately US$50 billion, according to MPA, which could grow to more than US$75 billion by 2021, making content creation, production and distribution a vital part of China’s world leading media and entertainment ecosystem.
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.
