News Broadcasting
Debutant cross-cultural film and television awards SAIFTA launches brand campaign
Mumbai, July 2013: Film and Television are mediums of communication which bring people together, connecting them with an invisible but tangible force; understanding this connection is the South Africa India Film and Television Awards (SAIFTA). Organized by Celebrity Locker along with Toursim KZN, SAIFTA is a maiden venture bonding the cultures of the two countries, India and South Africa. Ushering in a spirit of brotherhood between the Indian and South African entertainment industry; SAIFTA aims to reward outstanding performers, while promoting and enhancing the exchange of the diverse cultural elements. Representing the coming together of these two distinct cultures, SAIFTA is launching its new brand identity, giving the world a taste of the impending awards event at Durban on the 6th of September 2013.
The brand campaign, created by Mumbai based design firm Two, is a contemporary twist on the traditional Indian and South African motifs joining together on a vibrant canvas. There is a play of juxtaposing motifs from the two cultures such as the tabla in harmony with the bongo drums and a vibrant colour palette and design culture that are intrinsic to both countries. These motifs are wonderfully offset amidst a vibrant and opulent design against the black and gold elegance of the logo. Complimenting the opulent design language are distinctively crisp fonts communicating in a welcoming tone; A Window to South Africa, Where Cultures Meet, Where Films and Television Meet along with Where Music and Entertainment Meet. The campaign is based on intertwined themes of film and television, music and culture, fashion and glamour;
embodying the true spirit of SAIFTA which is a cultural curry consisting of two distinct cultural melting pots.
Commenting on the new logo, Mr. Kedhar Gawde, Creative Director, Official Spokesperson of SAIFTA and Director of Celebrity Locker said,” The spirit of SAIFTA is the union of the Indian and South African cultures, in order to showcase and celebrate this fact we decided to create a novel identity for ourselves. Our new brand identity is an apt representation of the two culturally rich countries against the vibrant tapestry of South Africa. We are very excited about the campaign and cannot wait to share it with the world.”
According to Arti Agarwal and Siddharth Khandelwal, Co-Founders, Two
Design, “The design language is a result of the merging of traditional South African and Indian motifs that represent entertainment themes but with a contemporary twist. Themes such as film + television / music + culture / fashion + glamour from two culturally rich countries against the vibrant tapestry of South Africa.”
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.
