News Broadcasting
ViacomCBS Q3 results: Growth in streaming business
New Delhi: ViacomCBS delivered better-than-expected profit and revenue in Q3 on the back of robust growth in streaming, with domestic subscribers rising to 17.9 million up 72 per cent year-on-year (YoY).
The mass media company's total revenue declined 9 per cent to $6.12 billion, but this was higher than market projections of $5.94 billion
It also raised its annual paid subscriber forecast for its streaming services, after nearly hitting its previous target a full quarter ahead of time on strong demand for indoor entertainment during the pandemic.
The streaming services registered significant growth in sign-ups, the company said, as CBS All Access benefited from strong demand for sports content and Showtime OTT from shows like The Chi and Billions. It now expects to hit 19 million domestic subscriptions by the year-end for its streaming services, CBS All Access and Showtime, compared to its earlier estimate of 18 million.
Revenue from streaming and digital video surged 56 per cent to $636 million in the third quarter, helped by a more than doubling of ad sales from its free, ad-supported Pluto TV.
Pluto TV Domestic MAUs also increased to 28.4M, up 57 per cent YoY.
ViacomCBS competes in a crowded US video streaming market with dominant players such as Netflix with close to 200 million global customers and Walt Disney Co, which has more than 100 million global paid customers for its streaming platform.
Overall advertisement revenue, however, fell 6 per cent but improved from a 27 per cent plunge in the second quarter.
Revenue in the company's filmed entertainment division, which includes Paramount Pictures, tumbled 31 per cent, primarily due to lower licensing revenue and theatre closures including limited seating, across the US and Europe.
The company is on track to debut Paramount+ in early 2021 as a differentiated offering spanning live sports, breaking news and entertainment, including new and franchise-based originals.
Excluding items, the company earned 91 cents per share, beating estimates of 80 cents.
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.
