News Broadcasting
‘Six Feet Under’ site goes beyond the grave
NEW YORK : Life. Death. Guilt. Afterlife. The daily routine for the Fisher family can involve some grave issues, especially when it comes to running the family’s grief management business.
As the third season of the Emmy winning HBO series kicks off in the US on 2 March, Six Feet Under fans can get an in depth look at the lives of the show’s complex characters and the making of the critically-acclaimed original series on the official Six Feet Under web site at HBO.com.
In India, the show is all set to debut on Zee English next month. The site has come up with experimental features that allow fans to go behind the scenes, exploring the intimate lives of the principal characters. One can see the new episodes through the eyes of creators and crew members in Post Mortem interviews. Taking a metaphysical pit-stop with the Fishers, examining the nooks and crannies of the Six Feet Under subconscious at The Wake are some features offered. In addition, one can access the real story on the victims of every opening sequence by reading detailed obituaries.
After each new Sunday night episode, HBO.com will feature a Post Mortem interview with post-show analysis by directors, writers, producers, special effects people, the show’s mortuary advisor and much more. Fans will learn how the show’s costume designer, Jill Ohanneson, gets clothes purchased from Walmart or Sears to have “that patina of feeling like it’s part of someone’s closet.” Or discover how Alan Ball’s examination of physics led him to the overall theme for season three.
After the 2 March premiere episode a site section The Wake will feature a unique montage of video moments, images and dialogue that give viewers a voyeuristic peek inside the characters thoughts and motivations. The most devoted viewers will even find a few “Easter Eggs” hidden in Wake episodes every week featuring personal tidbits such as text messages or journal entries from their favourite characters.
It remains to be seen though whether the dramatic irony and dark, situational humour of the show jells with the Indian viewer.
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.
