News Broadcasting
Worldspace subscription passes the 100,000 mark
MUMBAI: Radio satellite service provider WorldSpace has announced that it recently passed 100,000 subscribers globally – reinforcing the company’s execution against its business plan through the sequential roll out of services in key Indian and other global markets.
The company says that its services have resonated with consumers across the world, including India where the company remains focussed on building content and partner networks to increase visibility and drive consumer demand.
Worldspace chairman and CEO Noah Samara says, “Reaching 100,000 subscribers is an important milestone for WorldSpace and it reflects the effective implementation of our strategic plan, which is to leverage attractive market opportunities for our subscription services. We are very pleased with our progress and we intend to continue aggressive sales and marketing efforts that will enable us to grow our subscriber base.”
This year in India Worldspace launched roll-outs in nine cities in India, including Mumbai, New Delhi and Chandigarh. Launching in these cities has enabled the company to access a population of approximately 29 million in its primary target market. As of 30 September, 2005, Worldspace’s services were available at approximately 550 retail locations in India.
Worldspace delivers the latest tunes, trends and information from around the world and around the corner. Worldspace subscribers benefit from a combination of local programming, original WorldSpace content and content from global brands like the BBC, CNN, Virgin Radio UK, NDTV and RFI.
WorldSpace’s satellites cover two-thirds of the globe with six beams. Each beam is capable of delivering up to 80 channels of high quality digital audio and multimedia programming directly to Worldspace Satellite Radios anytime and virtually anywhere in its coverage area.
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.
