News Broadcasting
Space Systems/Loral’s MBSat satellite launched
MUMBAI: The MBSat broadcast communications satellite, built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) for Mobile Broadcasting Corporation (MBCO) of Japan and SK Telecom of Korea, was launched on Saturday.
The satellite was sent into space on an International Launch Services (ILS) Atlas III rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The MBSat satellite will be positioned at 144 degrees East longitude, where it will deliver music, video and data to mobile users in Japan and Korea through a variety of mobile terminals, including those in cars, ships, trains, hand held terminals, personal digital assistants, cellular phones and home portables. A very small antenna will be sufficient to receive these broadcast signals even inside buildings and in vehicles moving at high speeds.
An official release informs that the satellite carries two high power transponders for direct broadcasting services, with one transponder providing coverage for Japan and the other for Korea. Two additional transponders provide links to terrestrial repeater networks, which augment the satellite broadcast signal. Each transponder has an operating bandwidth of 25 MHz. This allows for more than 50 channels of audio, video and data services.
The release adds that the MBSat satellite will host one of the most cutting edge applications driving the satellite industry beyond basic broadcasting. SS/L stated that it built a reliable, powerful and flexible spacecraft that will provide numerous multimedia applications in Japan and Korea for years to come.
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.
