News Broadcasting
Ripley’s Believe it or Not available as mobisodes
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures International secured the rights from Ripley Entertainment Inc and plans to distribute “mobisodes,” or segments of the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! television show on mobile phone and Internet.
The segments include unbelievable and completely wacky humans, incredible feats and animal oddities ranging from a microchip dog to mountain stilt hikers.
“The show segments are expected to be available to the public later this year and will be available through mobile devices, Internet, airline in-flight entertainment and on-demand channels.
The three-year deal signed with CPT Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television International showcases the need for mobile information and content for the Internet.
“We are pioneers in the broadcasting of weird and wacky and unbelievable material, both on radio and television. Through the years, we have proven that truth is absolutely stranger than fiction,” said Ripley Entertainment president Bob Masterson.
“These shows transcend time and we’re fortunate to have the ability to adapt the clips for use in today’s popular media platforms through our partnership with Sony, ” he added.
Norm Deska, Executive Vice President of Intellectual Property for Ripley Entertainment, agrees that most of the show segments are timeless.
“When we worked with Sony years ago on the production of these shows, we never dreamed this footage would have any use other than that of television. We are excited that a whole new generation will have the opportunity to witness amazing Believe It or Nots! through a more contemporary channel of communication.”
Sony Pictures Television will draw in material from the 79 one-hour episodes of the Ripley Believe It or Not! Television hosted by Jack Palance that aired in the 1980s and from the 88 one-hour episodes in the Dean Cain series that ran between 1999 and 2003.
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.
