News Broadcasting
Ninth Cable TV Show kickstarts in Kolkata
KOLKATA: Fusion was the flavour as the ninth Cable TV Show 2004, opened here yesterday. The exhibition which was originally scheduled to start on 20 February started a day earlier as a result of which the first day had more local visitors.
The show was inaugurated by Kolkata Municipal Corporation mayor Subrato Mukherjee, while Rajya Sabha member of parliament Sarala Maheshwari was the chief guest.
In his welcome speech to the guests as well as the cable community, the chairman of the organising committee Pawan Jajodia said, “This is the ninth successful year of the exhibition and we are expecting same overwhelming response for the show. The main attraction is going to be the presence of the SAARC countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and the Pakistani delegation which is expected to arrive on the last day of exhibition (21 February).
Fabulous dance performances by Creation troupes set in the mood for a busy three days of activity. A majority of the exhibitors participating in the Cable TV Show are have come from Eastern India. Apart from the regular manufacturers and accessories stalls, MSOs as well as the Bengali channels like Alpha Bangla, Akaash Bangla, ETV Bangla and CCTN are present with in full force to attract cable operators.
Though among the MSOs surprisingly RPGnet which is the biggest MSO in Kolkata is conspicuous by its absence at the show. Apparently the cost cutting seems to be the reason of the absence. Siti with its news Dish TV, as well as Turner Network and Manthan Cable Network, (third largest in Kolkata) are present in the show.
The show is expected to pick up in next two days with seminars on Broadband, Value add services and DTH.
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.
