News Broadcasting
Viacom reports six per cent increase in year revenue
NEW YORK: Media conglomerate Viacom has reported record results for the fourth quarter and full year ended 31 December 2002.
For the fourth quarter, Viacom revenues increased 12 per cent to $6.8 billion from $6.0 billion for the same period last year, led by a 14 per cent growth in advertising revenues. Operating income increased to $1.3 billion from $277 million, reflecting strong growth in the Television, Cable Networks and Entertainment segment.
The company’s EBITDA (operating income before tax depreciation and amortisation) in the fourth quarter of 2002 increased 42 per cent to $1.5 billion from $1.1 billion.
For 2002 the company’s revenues increased 6 per cent to $24.6 billion from $23.2 billion with a 5 per cent overall increase in advertising revenues, including double-digit growth at MTV Networks and the Television stations group.
Operating income increased to $4.6 billion from $1.5 billion in the prior year. For the full year 2002, the company’s EBITDA increased 22 per cent to $5.5 billion from $4.5 billion in 2001.
For the year, cable networks revenues increased 10 per cent to $4.7 billion from $4.3 billion and operating income increased 44 per cent to $1.8 billion from $1.2 billion. Revenue and operating income increases were driven by 12 per cent advertising growth and an 8 per cent increase in affiliate fees paced by double-digit increases at MTVN. For the year, cable networks EBITDA increased 17 per cent to $2.0 billion
For the year, television revenues increased three per cent to $7.5 billion from $7.2 billion and operating income increased to $1.2 billion from $402 million. CBS and UPN Networks combined delivered 2 per cent growth in advertising revenues for the year, or 6 per cent excluding the impact of the Super Bowl in 2001. The Stations group delivered 12 per cent year-over-year advertising revenue growth with KCAL contributing 5 per cent of this growth. Television EBITDA increased 13 per cent to $1.3 billion from $1.2 billion
The Company expects to deliver mid-single digit revenue growth resulting in double-digit EBITDA growth and mid-teen growth in operating income and earnings per share for 2003.
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.
