News Broadcasting
One Alliance hikes subscription rates to Rs 55
MUMBAI: Erring on the side of abundant caution? Maybe, maybe not. Sony Entertainment’s One Alliance Network, which has just added premium movie channel HBO to its roster, today announced a hike in its monthly subscription rate package from Rs 40 to Rs 55, effective 1 January 2003.
Taking into consideration the fact that HBO is now part of the bouquet, and that the network has the biggest television event of the year – the cricket World Cup – on its platform, the increase is far lower than what many in the cable trade were fearing.
Looking at the current package price of Rs 40, and adding in the effective current cost of HBO at about Rs 8, the network price works out to an increase of Rs 7.
Distribution executives that indiantelevision.com spoke to earlier had said that with HBO on board and the cricket thrown in, Rs 65 looked a likely pricing structure. One that the cable trade could probably live with. However, one-Delhi-based cable operator had told indiantelevison.com two days ago that he was expecting the new package price to be Rs 55 so not everyone in the trade is surprised by the pricing.
Speaking to indiantelevision.com, SET India CEO Kunal Dasgupta said the cable industry had been fearing the worst and had reacted very positively to the new price structure. Dasgupta asserted that by keeping the effective hike quantum so low he expected the declared base of the One Alliance to shoot up dramatically in the lead-up to the World Cup and maintain those levels even after the end of the tournament.
Timed strategically, the increase comes a few months before Max, the cricket and movies channel, is poised to air the World Cup. The network has also promised a fresh programming line up in the New Year for channels as diverse as AXN and MAX, apart from the World Cup.
The One Alliance, a joint venture distribution company of Sony Entertainment Television and Discovery Communications India, floated in March this year, has in its kitty Sony, Max, AXN, CNBC, Discovery, Animal Planet and the newly acquired HBO.
Dasgupta still needs a news channel as (with CNBC India headed to Zee-Turner even more so), as well as a music channel and kids channel to complete his bouquet. For the second part the two Viacom channels MTV and Nickelodeon look the most attractive bets currently. However, Nick is with the Zee-Turner and with over 18 months of the present contract still left to run, it may eventually turn out that MTV joins Sony while the kids channel remains where it is.
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.
