RBNL TV biz segment Q3 loss widens to Rs 186 mn

MUMBAI: The television broadcasting business of Reliance Broadcast Network (RBNL), which houses four channels under the Big CBS JV and Big Magic, posted an operating loss of Rs 186.29 million for the three-month period ended 31 December.

In the year-ago period, the company had reported a loss of Rs 3.25 million under this segment. However, in the trailing quarter, the company had posted a segment loss of Rs 216 million.

The revenue from the TV segment was at Rs 59.30 million. The company has not posted the revenue figures for the earlier year for this segment. In the second quarter of the fiscal, it had reported a revenue of Rs 26 million.

RBNL employed Rs 785.99 million (segment asset less segment liabilities) towards the TV segment during the fiscal third-quarter.

Meanwhile, Big FM, the FM radio brand of the company, has reported operating profit for the fourth straight quarter, while all other businesses of the company are bleeding.

The radio broadcasting business? Ebit stood at Rs 44.15 million for the three-month period ended 31 December, up from Rs 22.12 million in the corresponding quarter of the earlier year. In the trailing quarter, the operating profit, however, was higher at Rs 120.33 million.

Big FM?s revenue stayed flat at Rs 480.69 million compared to Rs 483.89 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal. In the trailing quarter, it was Rs 571.01 million.

Total capital deployed on the radio broadcasting segment stood at Rs 2.41 billion as of 31 December 2011.

RBNL CEO Tarun Katial said, ?Our radio and television businesses will gain from industry reforms like Phase III of radio and DAS - cable digitisation which will increase reach and addressability, while improving margins. We look forward to innovate and deliver exciting content across all our platforms to both consumers and advertisers alike.?

On a consolidated basis, RBNL?s net loss widened to Rs 287.39 million from Rs 45.86 million a year ago. In the trailing quarter, the net loss was at Rs 244.47 million.

Total income of the company jumped 18.88 per cent to Rs 821.35 million compared to Rs 690.92 million a year ago. However, expenses jumped 46.28 per cent to Rs 1.07 billion (from Rs 729.87 million).
Among the other segments, the outdoor business posted an operating loss of Rs 62.09 million, up from Rs 37.05 million in the year-ago period. Income from the segment was at Rs 101.04 million (from Rs 60.51 million).

Experiential marketing segment loss stood at Rs 25.53 million, up from Rs 14.20 million. Income from the segment fell to Rs 86.55 million, from Rs 126.59 million.

TV production business posted operating profit of Rs 0.15 million on an income of Rs 118.16 million.