BENGALURU: Network18 Media & Investments Ltd (Network18) reported year over year (y-o-y) growth in consolidated operating revenue for the quarter ended 30 June 2018 (Q1 2019, quarter or period under review) as compared to the year ago quarter (Q1 2018). The company reported consolidated operating profit (EBITDA) of Rs 18 crore in Q1 2019 as compared to a loss of Rs 2 crore during the corresponding year ago quarter. Consolidated operating revenue grew 10 percent y-o-y during the quarter under review to Rs 1,124 crore from Rs 1,025 crore in Q1 2018 on a comparable basis.

Network18 chairman Adil Zainulbhai said: “We have begun the new fiscal with improved viewership across our portfolio, which shall be the foundation for our growth plans. We continued investments in regional news and entertainment and in digital. We continue to see opportunities in the media space.”

TV18 Broadcast Limited

TV18 Broadcast Ltd (TV18) is the listed Network18 broadcast subsidiary and the largest contributor to its numbers. Its consolidated revenues increased 11.1 percent y-o-y in Q1 2019 to Rs 1,088 crore from Rs 979 crore. TV18 consolidated operating profit (EBITDA) almost tripled (2.79 times) y-o-y to Rs 39 crore in Q1 2019 as compared to Rs 14 crore.

TV18’s growth in revenue was led by Viacom18 and Indiacast revenue for which climbed by Rs 73 crore (a little less than 10 percent) y-o-y during the quarter under review to Rs 832 crore from Rs 759 crore. The company’s business and general news had revenue growth of 14 per cent (Rs 20 crore) y-o-y in Q1 2019 at Rs 173 crore as compared to Rs 153 crore. Regional news (Ex Lokmat) and infotainment had revenue growth of 24 per cent (Rs 16 crore) during the quarter under review at Rs 83 crore as compared to Rs 67 crore in Q1 2018.

In its investor update, Network18 says that TV18’s subscription revenue increased 10 percent y-o-y during the period under review to Rs 301 crore from Rs 273 crore in Q1 2018.

Growth in operating profit (EBITDA) was led by business and general news with 25 per cent (Rs 7 crore) y-o-y growth at Rs 35 crore in Q1 2019 as compared to Rs 28 crore in Q1 2018. Viacom18 and Indiacast had 13 per cent y-o-y growth in operating profit at Rs 26 crore from Rs 23 crore in Q1 2018. Operating loss of regional news (Ex Lokmat) and infotainment declined to Rs 22 crore in Q1 2019 from operating loss of Rs 37 crore.

The numbers mentioned above have been obtained from TV18’s Investor update. It may be noted that Viacom18 and Indiacast became subsidiaries of TV18 from 1 March 2018. Hence, reported financials of TV18 consolidate these entities only from that date. Other y-o-y numbers are not comparable.

“Our television channels reach out to 700 million people across the country, making every 1 in 2 Indians our consumer. We have 53 domestic channels across news and entertainment, making us a formidable player. The improving advertising environment and our rising viewership are positives, as we continue investing into growing our offerings across genres,” said Zainulbhai in a TV18 investor update.

Network18 Digital, Print and others

Network18 Digital, Print and others revenue declined 22 per cent y-o-y in Q 2019 to Rs 36 crore from Rs 46 crore in  the year ago quarter. Operating loss (EBITDA) increased to Rs 21 crore from Rs 16 crore.