News Broadcasting
UK rights for ‘Lost’ move from Channel 4 to Sky
MUMBAI: New seasons of the show Lost will be seen exclusively on Sky One in the UK.
An agreement has been done between BSkyB and Buena Vista International Television (BVITV). Sky One has secured deals for seasons three and four of the show which airs in India on Star Movies. With this agreement, Sky will also make the series available to viewers on its broadband and mobile platforms.
The rights were earlier with Channel 4 which has aired the first two seasons. Sky One, Two and Three director of programming Richard Woolfe says, “We’re absolutely thrilled to bring Lost to Sky One. The series has defined TV drama over the last two years and has been the envy of every network. Today’s audiences demand more quality and flexibility than ever before.
“So we are intending to use various digital media platforms to make Lost available to our customers when they want and how they want … ensuring that they never miss the mysterious goings on of the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. This outstanding series will bring even more entertainment to Sky customers and demonstrate our strengths in multi-platform content and innovation.”
BVITV executive VP, MD Europe, Middle East and Africa Tom Toumazis says, “We’re delighted to be partnering with Sky to launch much-anticipated new seasons of the globally successful US series in the UK. We are confident that Sky will build upon the established success of Lost across TV and digital media platforms, bringing the series to viewers in flexible ways, ideally suited to its watercooler, must-see status.”
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.
