News Broadcasting
Optimystix’s ‘Nirvana’ rated amongst top 5 Mipcom formats by ‘Broadcast Magazine’
MUMBAI: Optimystix Entertainment’s format ‘Nirvana’ has been picked by Broadcast Magazine as one of the top five formats of Mipcom 2006.
Whereas India is now a big player in sourcing formats from the world market, this will be the first time an Indian content producer has created content for the world market, informs an official release.
Executive chairman of Optimystix, Sanjiv Sharma said “This is a format what we pitched to our fellow members at the Sparks Network at MIP TV in April this year. Whereas the format was extremely well received, it really exciting to be picked as one of the top five formats of the world’s biggest content market. We have serious interest for Nirvana from Networks in the US, France, Finland, Belgium, Poland and Italy.”
Nirvana is a format where seekers from a country will come to India to seek spiritual solutions that will help them cope with modern life, the release adds.
Managing Director and Head of Creative Services at Optimystix, Vipul D Shah said “This is matter of pride for the entire country. Whereas India will continue to consume creative ideas from the world market, it is very important to create content which can be pitted against the best of the best in the global arena.”
Chairman of the Sparks Network, Nicola Soderlund said “This is the first time an Indian Format has hit the international TV market and this proves that Optimystix can compete with global players. We are very proud that Sparks has played a part in this achievement and expect several more original and ground breaking ideas to come out from this talented team. This is just the beginning.”
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.
