News Broadcasting
Iconic series Blue Planet II set for Indian TV premiere on Sony BBC Earth after a successful theatrical run
MUMBAI: All eyes on TV as India’s #1 factual entertainment channel, Sony BBC Earth, premieres the world-renowned, path breaking and breath-taking series Blue Planet II for the Indian audience on June 25th at 9 pm.
Given the spectacular prowess of its content, Sony BBC Earth released the first two episodes of the legendary series in theatres exclusively with PVR cinemas across 22 cities on 18th May 2018 and became the talk of the town with the kind of response and support it received. The show which is now ready for a television premiere has attracted marquee advertisers including Indian Oil as the Presenting Sponsor and Nivea, Too Yumm, Aquaguard and Abbott as Associate Sponsors.
PVR, which is the exclusive multiplex partner for Blue Planet II, will be running the show promo across 32 theatres in 9 cities – Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad for 2 weeks to promote the Indian television premiere. Additionally, Mad Over Donuts, India’s premium and most loved Donut brand, is the on-ground Partner and has launched a special ‘Blue Planet II themed’ menu comprising customized donuts and a beverage, which will be available across 55 outlets in India.
Narrated by the godfather of natural history Sir David Attenborough, Blue Planet II tells unique, untold stories of the ocean’s most astonishing creatures with a promise to make viewers feel alive not just with the visuals but also with the music that is composed by award-winning composer, Hans Zimmer. Shot over 1406 days with 125 expeditions across 39 countries, the series was filmed in depths as far as 8km across 4,000 dives with more than 6,000 hours of underwater footage!
For the ones who saw it in theatres, loved it, raved about it and want more of it, can tune-in to their TV sets to catch all the 7 episodes. For the ones who missed out watching it on the big screen, here’s an opportunity to catch the much talked about, unmissable series from June 25 at 9PM on Sony BBC Earth.
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.
