News Broadcasting
Nickelodeon & Summeripe Worldwide ink deal for character based grocery packaging in US
MUMBAI: Nickelodeon and Summeripe Worldwide, Inc. have completed a new multi-year licensing agreement to bring Nickelodeon’s popular characters, SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora The Explorer, to grocers in the US, on kid-friendly packages of peaches, plums and nectarines.
The new Nickelodeon/Summeripe Worldwide agreements expands on the success of the licensing initiative launched by Nickelodeon in 2005 to encourage healthier diet and lifestyle choices for kids. Starting in the spring of 2007, Summeripe Worldwide will produce both loose and packaged offerings of yellow and white flesh peaches, nectarines, plums and pluots.
Using its characters to entice kids to try healthy food alternatives is just one of the ways Nickelodeon has been working to encourage healthy, balanced lifestyles for kids. The network has committed $30 million in resources and 10 per cent of its air to health and wellness messaging through programming and PSA campaigns, states an official release.
“Adding SpongeBob and Dora peaches, plums and nectarines to our successful assortment of Nickelodeon branded fruits and vegetables will make the produce aisle even more kid-friendly,” said Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products vice president Sherice Torres. “Nickelodeon is committed to encouraging kids to eat right and make healthy food choices.”
Pat Steider, President of Summeripe Worldwide Inc. stated, “This partnership with Nickelodeon is a great step-forward for Summeripe. We as a company want to be an industry leader in creating exciting opportunities for parents and children to have healthy and delicious kid-sized fresh fruit products. Nickelodeon’s importance in the minds and lives of children will accelerate our efforts of getting great tasting and nutritional fruit into children’s daily diet.”
Nickelodeon is in its fourth year of its pro-social initiative, “Let’s Just Play.” In 2005, “Let’s Just Play” entered into a partnership with The Alliance for a Healthier Generation to combat the spread of childhood obesity. The three organisations combined forces on a comprehensive media and public awareness campaign, encouraging young people to engage in healthy and active lifestyles.
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.
