News Broadcasting
Twentieth Century Fox television distribution & Starz sign licensing pact
MUMBAI: A new multi-year licensing deal sees hundreds of movies from the Twentieth Century Fox Television distribution library airing commercial-free on the Starz and Encore premium channels.
The agreement also includes associated HD, on-demand and authenticated online offerings. Titles included as part of the pact are Big Momma’s House, 2001’s Planet of the Apes, Cheaper By the Dozen, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Fight Club and many others.
“Consumers have long-subscribed to the Starz family of premium services thanks to the depth and breadth of its quality movie product. This agreement with Fox will fortify our pipeline of popular theatrical library content through the end of the decade and is a great complement to our exclusive originals, first-run movies, and other popular movie fare,” said business and legal affairs executive VP of acquisitions Michael Thornton.
“Encompassing a deep collection of hundreds of films including such highlights as movies from the Ice Age, X-Men and Home Alone franchises, as well as There’s Something About Mary and Alien, these timeless hits will be a great addition for our loyal subscribers.” Thornton added.
Twentieth Century Fox television distribution executive VP of worldwide pay television and SVOD Gina Brogi commented, “We are very pleased to extend our relationship with Starz and thrilled that they will have an opportunity to access so many great films from Fox’s extensive library.”
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.
