News Broadcasting
World Poker Tour to introduce progressive platforms, content at Mipcom
MUMBAI: World Poker Tour Enterprises (WPTE) will attend the global television trade event Mipcom in Cannes, France, from 9 – 13 October 2006.
The firm works in the area of poker entertainment. It also claims to be behind the worldwide poker television boom. WPTE will offer new sponsorship, licensing and programming opportunities for 2007.
To foster increasing worldwide penetration, the WPTE aims to build its international partnerships via joint-ventures, local programming, merchandising, and other strategic alliances. WPTE will showcase the World Poker Tour Season IV, the flagship show in poker television at Mipcom.
Executives will also present the premiere season of the Professional Poker Tour (PPT), which is currently airing on the Travel Channel in the US.
WPTE executive director of international distribution Gary MacKinney says, “We look forward to leveraging a premiere tradeshow like Mipcom to strengthen relationships and create opportunities to further expand poker throughout the globe. The World Poker Tour will continue to add international stops while exploring locally-produced televised tournaments in key markets.”
WPT programming currently airs in 154 countries, including Spain, Canada and Philippines. It recently inked pacts with Kanal 5 in Sweden, Macau Cable in Macau and MediaCorp in Singapore.
WPTE executive VP Robyn Moder says, “When the WPT made its television debut five years ago, it incited a national poker phenomenon that continues to escalate.
“As the WPTE begins to roll-out its international formats, we hope to use our excellent and well-seasoned production experience to help our international partners create for their audiences compelling poker programming of the same magnitude.”
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.
