News Broadcasting
Pogo to entice Indian kids with Harry Potter this summer
MUMBAI: What better way to get pester power into action than show the ultimate kid’s cult classic – Harry Potter – on your channel.
Pogo, which has made a none-too-auspicious Indian debut (distribution problems what else) on New Year’s Day, is all set to premiere the mega blockbuster movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on Indian television.
Harry Potter will air on Pogo just as Indian kids finish their exams and get into the holiday mood this summer. Now if that doesn’t get demand going nothing will.
Pogo acquired the India rights from Warner Brothers International Television Distribution. The management believes that this will help it further strengthen its programming line-up which includes award-winning shows such as Barney & Friends, Teletubbies Everywhere, Boohbah and Walking With franchise.
Says Turner Entertainment Networks Asia, Inc senior vice president and general manager Ian Diamond, “Acquiring the television rights for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone exclusively for Pogo audiences is a proud moment for us at the channel. We are extremely excited about this and are positive that our young viewers and their families will feel the same. The movie is a global phenomenon and premiering the same for television is an indication and a strong affirmation of our commitment of bringing world-class and magical programming on Pogo.”
Pogo, distributed by Zee Turner, is broadcast via the PAS-10 satellite.
Meanwhile, the Turner Broadcasting Inc (TBS) management today announced that it has signed on conditional access technology provider Conax to provide with the necessary tech for Pogo in India. TBS will use the Conax CAS5 conditional access technology for broadcasting the new kids service as a direct to operator (DTO) operation to Indian cable networks.
Saya Conax AS COO and executive vice president Ole Hansvold, “Conax is very pleased to have teamed up with Turner Broadcasting. We are looking forward to working with Turner to facilitate the distribution of their Pogo channel to the Asian market.”
Added TBS International Inc executive vice president – Distribution Technology Alastair Hamilton, “Partnering with Conax makes sense. Their recent popularity in Asia, and the ease with which we could integrate a Conax encrypted channel into our existing multiplex made them our first choice. We’re excited to work with Conax and look forward to developing a strong business relationship.”
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.
