News Broadcasting
World Sport Nimbus issues clarification on ICC rights
In response to the report ” News Corp takes financial charge of global rights for ICC cricket ” World Sport Nimbus (WSN) has issued the following rejoinder:
“World Sport Nimbus (WSN) continues to and will continue till 2007 to fulfil the responsibilities and functions by virtue of its agreement with GCC (Global Cricket Corporation) in relation to ICC cricket, which include exclusive management of sponsorship sales worldwide, event management, television licensing in specified territories, radio licensing in specified territories, and television production of specified events.
“World Sport Group (plc) and World Sport Nimbus Pte Ltd will not comment on any speculation regarding business restructuring except that neither of these two companies have been or are proposed to be acquired by GCC or Newscorp.
“Further, WSN has already achieved or exceeded its targets with regard to all broadcast licenses for television and radio in all its specified territories, and remains on course for its sponsorship targets. Contrary to a speculative report which suggests that four sponsors have been firmed up for the World Cup, WSN confirms that eight sponsors have already been firmed up for the World Cup and with eight months to go for the World Cup, ongoing negotiations to sign on four more are comfortably progressing.
“The eight sponsors are Pepsi, I.G., Standard Bank, South African Breweries, MTN, Hero Honda, South African Airways and Toyota (SA).”
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.
