News Broadcasting
NDTV to use Discreet for promos, packaging
MUMBAI: NDTV is moving into high gear as far as the rollout plans for its soon to launched English and Hindi news channels are concerned. Three days after ads appeared seeking fresh personnel, it was announced yesterday that NDTV had opted for Discreet’s top of the line systems to enable it to create promos and packaging for its content as well as channel branding.
With this new acquisition, NDTV upgrades its broadcast and production capabilities to include inferno (visual effects), flame (online digital visual effects and compositing system for 2K, HD and 601) and smoke (online creative non-linear HD and 601 editing/finishing system), an official release states. NDTV will be phasing out its existing Quantel systems, PaintBox and EditBox, in use for the last five to six years. The Discreet systems are expected to be installed and ready for production by the end of November.
“NDTV is the first Indian broadcaster to invest in such high-end systems. This move indicates the level of maturity the Indian television content industry is reaching,” Pankaj Kedia, regional manager, South Asia, Discreet, was quoted as saying in the release. “With this acquisition, Discreet expects that NDTV will set new standards in the Indian television industry.”
“After careful evaluation, we found that Discreet systems offer the best creative environment with the most sophisticated visual effects tools, which we will use to give our channels a new and unique look,” NDTV promoter Dr Prannoy Roy was quoted as saying.
NDTV has identified promos and packaging as huge drivers for channels to create content that’s visually compelling, and Discreet systems will help NDTV make the difference, the release says.
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.
