News Broadcasting
MTNL to expand IPTV service by 74 channels
MUMBAI: State-owned telecom major MTNL has added 74 channels after the initial launch of 26 free-to-air channels, earlier this month as part of its IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) service.
MTNL had signed a deal with Time Broadband Services and its Israeli partner Optibase to develop and handle the content delivery network for its IPTV services.
The state-owned telecom provider recently launched IPTV services, through Time Broadband, utilizing Optibase’s IPTV MGW 5100 platforms for its digital IPTV head-end operation at the company’s network operating centre, according to an official statement.
Time Broadband will have Israel-based Infogate Online as its middleware vendor while Verimatrix Inc will provide content protection solutions. The digital headend will be from Optibase.
Together with Time Broadband, Optibase is enabling the launch of the IPTV services in Delhi.
Service provider, Time Broadband is geared up to deploy IPTV services on both TV & PC delivery, through network and internet service providers across the country.
Following the initial deployment of Optibase MGW 5100 IP video head-ends providing 26 channels of Telco-grade streaming, Optibase will now be supplying an additional 74 channels, totaling 100 MPEG-4 Part 10 H.264/AVC channels.
“During the initial deployment, Optibase demonstrated their extensive IPTV know-how relating to H.264 AVC. We were impressed by the quality of the Optibase solution and the superior level of service. Therefore we decided to select the Optibase MGW 5100 integrated digital head ends for the full-scale commercial launch,” said Time Broadband Services’ MD Sujata Dev.
Optibase CFO Danny Lustiger stated, “We are delighted with the success of our first installation of Time Broadband at MTNL Delhi Network and look forward to a long-term collaboration with our globally eminent CDN partners, driving the large scale deployment of IPTV in India.”
IPTV is a system wherein digital quality television service is delivered to consumers using broadband connections.
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.
