News Broadcasting
Spanish Broadcasting System and Viacom complete strategic alliance
MUMBAI: Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. has acquired KRZZ 93.3 FM serving the San Francisco market from Viacom’s Infinity Broadcasting. Under the terms of the strategic alliance between Viacom and Spanish Broadcasting System, Infinity merged 93.3 FM into SBS in exchange for an approximate 10 per cent equity interest.
Infinity also received warrants that will allow it to increase its equity stake in SBS by approximately another 5 per cent. Through the reformatting of 93.3 FM, SBS now owns and operates the single most powerful Spanish-language radio station in the Bay area.
Spanish Broadcasting System is the largest Hispanic-controlled radio broadcasting company in the United States. After giving effect to the proposed pending divestiture, the Company will own and/or operate 20 stations in the top Hispanic markets of New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Puerto Rico, including the top rated Spanish-language radio stations in America among its heritage brands.
In addition, SBS entered into a cross-promotional agreement with CBS Television and Viacom Outdoor whereby the three business units agreed to work together to more effectively market their respective properties.
Infinity’s in-house marketing and sales group, will partner with SBS and work towards increasing both companies’ national and regional advertising revenue, informs a company release.
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.
