News Broadcasting
Scat gets a more focussed response
MUMBAI: Scat India 2006, which positions itself as being India’s largest exhibition for the Indian satellite and cable TV industry concludes today 14 October 2006 at the World Trade Center.
Scat Media and Consultancy executive director Dinyar Contractor says that the biggest improvement this year has been more focus. “Exhibitors appreciate the fact that there was a clear focus on cable television.
Earlier we had other focus areas as well but this time around there was a clear focus on the digital arena. The feedback we received from the exhibitors was that the trade visitors were well informed and clued in.
“They have done their homework which indicates that the digital arena is coming off age in India. One firm from Europe says that the questions that he has been asked about his products have been more knowledgeable and intelligent compared with some other tradeshows.
While earlier people would ask about what a product does now they ask whether a product has a certain feature. Visitors were hapy that weer big international names at the event.”
Scat is now in its 15th year. Zee Telefilms chairman Subhash Chandra inaugurated the exhibition. By the time the event concludes it would have had around 12,000 attendees. There are 80 stalls and Contractor adds that at least 30 per cent of the exhibitors have confirmed that they will return next year. Some of them have booked bigger stalls.
The firms that took part included 2nd Wave Technology, Aditya Broadband, AlJazeera International, Beijing Swt Optical Comm. Catvision, Conax Systems, D-Link, Kieth Electronics, Micronas, Motorola, Finolex Fitel, Fujikura, Scientific Atlanta and Shenzhen Coship
A key product that the trade fraternity focussed on was digital headends. These will be needed for the deployment of conditional access (Cas) on 1 January 2007 in certain areas of Mumbai and Delhi. Normally headends are expensive. However at Scat Chinese vendors will display headends that are at a cost effective and competitive rate.
It was not just operators in areas where Cas will be rolled out in January 2007 that are interested. Contractor adds that even operators in small towns are interested. Though it is a bit expensive they know that once Cas comes in the problems between them and the broadcasters over under declaration will not exist. Hence they are willing to invest. The mood of the trade fraternity at Scat he says is confident that Cas will be rolled out smoothly.
Some operators are mentally gearing uop for Cas though it has yet to be mandated for their areas he adds. Therefore the interest in digital equipment is not surprising.
Other technology products that were on display include DVB-S and DTH Products, DTT, DVB-S and DVB-c test and measurement equipment, Fibre Optic products from global firms were also be on display.
News Broadcasting
Network18 posts Rs 1,955 crore revenue, narrows FY26 losses
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.
