News Broadcasting
TV Today telecasts 16 per cent net profit rise in FY 2013
MUMBAI: Its FM radio broadcasting business is on the turnaround trail. And that – apart from its mainstay its news TV channels Aaj Tak, Headlines Today, Dilli Aaj Tak and Tezz- has helped Living Media India Ltd’s (The India Today group’s) television & FM radio broadcasting arm, TV Today Network, post a pleasing 16 per cent rise in its net profit in the year ended 31 March 2013. However, its Q4 2013 net profit has fallen 13.3 per cent against the corresponding previous year’s Q4-2012.
TV Today Network has been one of the more efficiently run news organisations in the Indian news broadcasting sector and has been reporting profits for some time now. Other listed news TV organisations have been bleeding and have just about starting showing profits. Hence, its Q4-2013 results appear to be just an aberration.
Let us look at the standalone Q4-2013 financials as against Q4-2012
Q4-2013 total revenues stand at Rs 84.27 crore, a drop of over 4.7 per cent as against last corresponding Q4-2012’s Rs 88.46 crore. Its TV broadcasting business contributes nearly 97 per cent at Rs 81.63 crore to its revenues while its FM radio broadcasting operations through its channel ‘Oye 104.8’ generated Rs 2.64 crore.
The broadcaster has managed to pare some of its expenses at Rs 77.89 crore in Q4-2013 as against last corresponding Q4-2012’s Rs 78.33 crore. The marginal difference is on account of its production costs being reduced to Rs 10.36 crore (Rs 11.24 crore).
Even though the company has seen a 13 per cent reduction in its net profit for Q4-2013 to Rs 6.36 crore (as against Q4-2012’s Rs 7.33 crore), what is heartening is the narrowing of its losses from its FM radio division in Q4-2013 to Rs 2.74 crore from Rs 4.46 crore in Q4-2012.
Let us take a look at the consolidated financials for the year ending 31 March 2013
As mentioned earlier, efficient management of its FM radio operations has helped TV Today Network in FY-2013. Its net profit for FY-2013 had a handsome increase of 16 per cent to Rs 12.21 crore (Rs 10.52 crore in FY-2012). A large part of this increase can be attributed to the decrease in losses at its FM radio division to Rs 13.24 crore from Rs 18.59 crore in FY-2012.
Total revenue for FY 2013 rose to Rs 312.66 crore as against FY-2012’s Rs 308.43 crore with TV broadcasting revenues contributing Rs 302.69 crore as against Rs 300 crore in FY-2012. Its FM radio division chipped in with Rs 9.98 crore as against Rs 8.09 crore last fiscal.
The company claims that its profits have been squeezed further on account of its payments to BSNL and Prasar Bharti amounting to Rs 80 lakh and monitoring charges for foreign satellite amounting to Rs 76.91 lakh.
From the short term perspective, its current liabilities including trade payables have significantly increased to Rs 128.39 crore in FY-2013 as against Rs 94.16 crore in FY-2012, a worrying 36 per cent rise, especially when its current assets have shot by only 24 per cent during the same period.
TV Today Network has made a strategic investment of Rs 45.52 crore in Mail Today Newspapers which is bringing out a daily newspaper in the north. Though Mail Today is in the initial stages of operations and presently incurring losses, the company holds a confident outlook of its future profitability.
The company has announced a 15 per cent dividend, even as the share closed at Rs 84.85 by the time trading ended on BSE.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
