News Broadcasting
Sena supremo to address Mumbai LMOs on 7 September
MUMBAI: The tiger roars at CAS again. Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray is slated to meet nearly 1,000 Mumbai-based cable operators on Sunday, 7 September 2003. In all probability, the venue of the meeting is the Rang Sharda auditorium at Bandra Reclamation in suburban Mumbai.
Incidentally, the cable trade (read multi system operators) in Mumbai has got a 10-day grace period from the I&B ministry due to Ganesh Chaturthi and the rollout of CAS is poised to happen only after 11 September, when the festival ends.
Senior Shiv Sena functionaries have confirmed that the Sena supremo will address the last mile operators in Mumbai.
Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Shiv Sena member of Parliament Sanjay Nirupam says: “Most probably, Balasaheb will address a meeting of all the last mile operators and address them on Sunday, 7 September 2003.”
With his clarion call “Humse Panga mat Lo!” (Don’t mess around with us), Nirupam has been one of the most vociferous MP who raised posers about the implementation of CAS in the country in Parliament.
Shiv Sena Vibhag Pramukh and CODA (Cable Operators’ and Distributors’ Association) spokesperson Anil Parab says: “Nothing is confirmed as yet but Balasaheb will meet the last mile operators before the new deadline for CAS implementation.” Parab, himself a cable entrepreneur (who started Dattatray Cable) feels that the way in which CAS is being implemented currently is against the interests of the consumers and the cable operators.
There were unconfirmed reports that senior BJP leaders including the deputy prime minister LK Advani were scheduled to meet Thackeray and obtain his support for CAS in Mumbai.
More importantly, Mumbai is the only city amongst the other metros where the ruling NCP-Congress alliance hasn’t had a say in the CAS rollout – unlike in Delhi where both the BJP (Madan Lal Khurana) and ruling Congress chief minister (Sheila Dixit) have opposed CAS; similarly in West Bengal, the ruling CPI-M has sought clarifications from the central government.
An Enam Securities report titled India Strategy dated 7 August 2003 says that CAS will change the Rs 80 billion pay TV market. It says that in the pre-CAS era, the LMOs used to get Rs 65 billion, multi-system operators (MSOs) used to get Rs 5 billion and broadcasters will get Rs 10 billion. The scenario, says the Enam Securities report, will change post the implementation of CAS. In the new scenario, broadcasters will get Rs 35 billion plus Rs 10 billion; MSOs will get Rs 5 billion and LMOs will get Rs 30 billion.
All eyes on the Sena supremo’s meeting with LMOs.
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.
