News Broadcasting
Rainbow Media launches first HD news channel in US
MUMBAI: It is now time for news broadcasting in America to get bitten by the high definition (HD) bug. Rainbow DBS’ Voom has launched the first ever 24*7 HD news channel, HDNews (HDN).
Viewers of HDN receive news headlines, weather information, sports highlights, and more with a true-to- life picture that’s nearly as real as being on the scene. HDN is available exclusively to subscribers of Voom. Voom has stated that it offers over 30 HD channels. Voom claims to be the first multi-channel video service (MCVS) platform built specifically to deliver HDTV for the rapidly expanding home entertainment market in the US.
HDN features a news-wheel of top headlines, national weather, sports highlights, business updates, and feature material in the categories of health, science, showbiz news and more. All the programming is in HD including news footage, graphics, and in-studio presentation. Newscasters anchor from the custom state-of-the-art set located in New York while regional correspondents based in New York City, Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami ensure that every area of the US is covered.
Several organisations contributed to the look of HDN. Among them is Broadway and Hollywood set designer Tim Hunter, who created the anchor set. Additionally, Pyburn Films created the graphics package that complements the images presented on the channel. ACCU-weather developed a HD weather offering for HDN, allowing for constantly updated weather information around the country with custom maps, graphics, and weather technology.
Rainbow Media is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems. Rainbow Media owns and manages networks such as AMC, Fuse, The Independent Film Channel.
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.
